Pathwork Diagnostics

In diagnosing cancer, patients may undergo a number of diagnostic approaches such as a physical examination and detailed medical history, blood tests, imaging (mammography or MRI, for example) and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of a biopsy (tissue sample). In IHC, a sample of the tumor is fixed to a slide, and special stains are  added.  A pathologist examines the slide under a microscope and looks for particular cells and staining patterns, which help  the pathologist-- a laboratory physician who examines the results of your biopsy or other tests performed on cancerous or suspicious tissue--determine  the tissue of origin of a tumor. The oncologist uses all of this information to diagnose the type of cancer, but in some cases the information obtained by the clinical history and the various test results are not straightforward enough to make a diagnosis.

The Pathwork Tissue of Origin Test can be ordered to help resolve these clinical dilemmas. Your oncologist and the pathologist –– will determine if the Tissue of Origin Test is appropriate and can aid in your diagnosis. Like other types of diagnostic tests, the Tissue of Origin Test requires a small sample of the tumor to be identified. This sample may have already been obtained during your surgery or biopsy, or may require a separate biopsy procedure.

Your oncologist will use the results of your Tissue of Origin Test to aid in determining the origin of your tumor and thus the type of cancer you have. The oncologist’s decision will enable you to receive appropriate treatment that is targeted to your specific tumor type.