PathWAYS Newsletter Articles

InCyte Pathology's quarterly newsletter, PathWAYS, contains articles written by our Board Certified pathologists.  Some of the more recent articles are posted on this page.  You can also subscribe to our electronic newsletter available online for your convenience. 

The Molecular Pap:   
E6 and E7 Hold Promise for Greater Specificity in Cervical Cancer Screening   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.   

An exciting new molecular approach in identifying transformed cells uses the principle of measuring two HPV gene products, E6 and E7, that are overexpressed in cells where HPV has integrated into the host genome and has initiated neoplasia.    Click here to read the entire article     

ASC-US vs. ASC-H?  What is the difference?   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

There is often confusion (and even controversy) among healthcare providers regarding the proper evaluation and management of ASC, especially ASC-H.    Click here to read the entire article

Use of E-Cadherin & P120 catenin IHC for Breast Carcinoma   
By David C. Hoak, M.D.

The combined use of E-cadherin and p120ctn immunostaining on a single slide is very helpful in subclassifying certain breast carcinomas.    Click here to read the entire article

The PAS Stain: A Sensitive Test for Diagnosis of Onychomycosis   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

Although culture was long considered the gold standard, the PAS stain has been shown to be a sensitive method for the diagnosis of onychomycosis.    Click here to read the entire article

Distinguishing Adenocarcinoma From Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung   
By David C. Hoak, M.D.

The response to certain drug regimens in patients with non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) with adenocarcinoma is different from squamous cell carcinoma patient response.    Click here to read the entire article

Benign Endometrial Cells in Women Over 40 Years of Age: What is the Best Practice?   
By Sanjay Logani, M.D. and Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

Q&A on why laboratories utilize the reporting category “Endometrial Cells Present in a Woman over 40 Years of Age” and other important information on this topic.    Click here to read the entire article

Diagnostic Value of Preparing Cell Blocks from Pap Specimens   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

Cell block preparation is useful for the detection and diagnosis of many other lesions, so why not use it as a complement to the Pap test, especially for diagnostically difficult cases?   Click here to read the entire article

Endocervical Cells In a Pap Smear: A Concept Changed   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

Several studies have shown that women with smears lacking EC/TZ cells are not more likely to have squamous lesions on follow up than are women with EC/TZ cells.   Click here to read the entire article

HNPCC - It's All Relative   
By Amy M. Backer, M.D.

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an inherited condition from a parent and develops through changes in their mismatch repair (MMR) genes during DNA replication. This form of genetic destabilization is referred to as the microsatellite instability (MSI) pathway.   Click here to read the entire article

"Reactive" Pap Results - The End of an Era   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

Since 1989, there have been several significant developments in the field of cytology that have rendered the category of reactive changes to clinical obsolescence.  This article explains why in a laboratory, reactive changes in a Pap are identified, confirmed to be nonneoplastic, then reported as a ‘Negative’ finding, with clear distinction of the finding from ASCUS or LSIL, without the use of HPV tests.   Click here to read the entire article

The Significance of HPV 16 & 18 in Cervical Carcinoma and Genotype Testing   
By Sanjay Logani, M.D.

In 2009, ASCCP released an algorithm for using genotyping for HPV 16 and 18 to triage high-risk HPV-positive/cytology-negative women. This article discusses the detection of abnormal cytology, the employment of HPV DNA testing and, specifically, the detection of HPV 16 and 18 genotypes in women 30 years of age and older.   Click here to read the entire article

Right Diagnosis: Addressing Concerns About Breast Biopsy Interpretation   
By A. Morgan Wright, M.D., Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D., David C. Hoak, M.D.

Breast biopsy diagnosis is challenging for all pathologists, and has become even more so as imaging-guided biopsies have become smaller, as advances in imaging technology detect earlier lesions of breast cancer, and as even more special testing is requested on smaller samples.   Click here to read the entire article

Columnar Cell Lesions of the Breast   
By Christopher Montague, M.D.

Proliferative lesions of the terminal duct lobular units classified as columnar cell lesions breast are being encountered with increasing frequency due to the widespread use of screening mammography and the association of columnar cell lesions with microcalcifications.  Click here to read the entire article

Pap Smear Enters the Molecular Age   
By Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

Gone are the days when a cervical swab was smeared on a slide followed by discarding the excess collection.  Now every part of a pap collection is important for the ancillary testing being performed on liquid based collections (LBC).   Click here to read the entire article

Optimum Specimen Handling   
By Stephen J. Darling, M.D.

Proper specimen handling can avoid potential complications and the expense of needing to repeat an invasive biopsy procedure.  In addition, careful handling of specimens is imperative to maximize diagnostic yield.   Click here to read the entire article

Considering Combined Screening? - HPV & Pap   
Q & A with InCyte Pathologist, Felix Martinez, Jr., M.D.

There are many reasons to consider sending your specimen for both Pap and HPV screening at the same time.   Click here to read the entire article

Microscopic Colitis: Lymphocytic Colitis and Collagenous Colitis   
By Wayne Riches, M.D.

Microscopic colitis is a subset of idiopathic chronic colitis, defined by chronic diarrhea in the setting of a normal colonoscopy and barium enema, but having microscopic evidence of mucosal inflammation.  Two similar but distinct entities comprise microscopic colitis - lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis.   Click here to read the entire article

Celiac Sprue   
By Thomas Allerding, M.D.

Our understanding of Celiac Sprue (CS) has increased dramatically in the past decade.  We now know that CS is a complex multigenic disease with worldwide distribution, capable of presenting with a broad array of gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal symptoms.   Click here to read the entire article

Eosinophilic Esophagitis   
By Brent M. Hjermstad, M.D.

The enigmatic eosinophil is at work again. It’s loose in the esophagus and causing trouble.   Click here to read the entire article

Serrated Adenoma: An Unusual Variant of Colon Polyp   
By Amy Backer, M.D.

The term "serrated adenoma" is used to describe a variant of colon polyp that has gained significant recognition in recent years because of evidence that some of these lesions may be precursors for microsatellite-unstable colorectal carcinoma.   Click here to read the entire article