Aug 2 2010

A recent article published Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 in The New York Times titled “Prone to Error: Earliest Steps to Find Cancer” (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/health/20cancer.html?_r=1) describes a woman’s breast cancer misdiagnosis when an inexperienced pathologist reviewed her breast biopsy. This article brings to light the importance of patient education; knowing the experience and expertise of pathologists and why it is important to ask your oncologist about your pathologist. Yet, many patients do not even know what a pathologist is.

In The New York Times article, a woman faces a life-changing ordeal when a pathologist who had reviewed a small number of breast cases and was inexperienced with evaluating difficult borderline lesions, diagnosed her with breast cancer. After undergoing breast surgery, radiation treatments, and the emotional turmoil of the diagnosis, the patient’s biopsy materials were reviewed at another institution where more experienced pathologists downgraded her diagnosis. Then, subsequently, the woman was told she did not have cancer.

The pathologists at CellNetix Pathology & Laboratories, a private Northwest pathology practice, view approximately 6,000 breast disease cases per year.

Within CellNetix is a group of pathologists who have developed expertise by focusing on breast diseases. Seeing the most number of breast cancer cases in the Northwest has given our pathologists a high degree of experience. For instance, our breast specialist pathologists each evaluate over 400 breast core biopsies per year. Additionally, approximately 500 cases per year are viewed by CellNetix pathologists and presented at twice-weekly breast interdisciplinary conferences.

CellNetix provides the highest level of quality service for our clinician clients. Pathology services include timely and thorough pathologic evaluation of their patients’ specimens, pre-operative review of prior diagnostic pathology, second opinions, and unparalleled quality assurance, including confirmatory review by another pathologist on all new cancer diagnoses. Our state-of-the-art laboratory is designed to reduce workflow errors, and ensure patient safety with innovative new technology such as bar-coding.

The New York Times article stresses the importance of medical training, certification, and level of experience which determine the quality of pathologic evaluation. CellNetix employs over 40 board certified pathologists with sub-specialty expertise in over 25 areas, including breast pathology. Deploying cutting-edge technologies and providing the highest level of pathology practice ensures that CellNetix pathologists have the highest level of care for our patients.

Due to the recent New York Times article, there has been a lot of interest and concern regarding breast cancer and pathology. Please click here to view a recent podcast by CellNetix pathologist, Dr. Sean Thornton, on the diagnosis and pathology of breast care that addresses many of the concerns people have had.

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