Biopsy or surgery
Cells or tissue are removed using a method suited to the location and clinical question.
ARCHIVE FILE 03SAMPLE / SLIDE / REPORT
Under the microscope
Cancer pathology.
From biopsy to diagnosis.
Cancer diagnosis can use physical exams, imaging, laboratory tests, and other procedures. In many cases, a biopsy and pathology report provide the evidence needed to confirm cancer and describe it.
H&E staining helps make tissue architecture readable.
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Pathologists assess patterns across a complete prepared specimen—not one isolated image.
NCI · Public domain ↗A microscope image is not a diagnosis by itself. Meaning comes from the sample, preparation method, expert interpretation, clinical context, and other tests.
01 / A PROCESS, NOT ONE TEST
Different questions require different evidence.
A health professional may use a medical history, physical exam, laboratory tests, imaging, or procedures that collect cells or tissue. The exact route depends on what is being investigated and where it is located.
A biopsy is often needed to know for certain whether an area is cancer. The sample can also provide information about the type, grade, and biomarkers.
02 / FROM SAMPLE TO SLIDE
Pathology turns tissue into a readable record.
Preserve, slice, stain
The laboratory processes tissue into very thin sections. Stains create contrast between structures.
Microscopic review
A pathologist evaluates cell shape, arrangement, and tissue architecture with the surrounding context.
Record the findings
The report communicates the diagnosis and other features to the clinical team.
Histology preserves tissue relationships so architecture can be examined.
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Cytology emphasizes individual cells. This is a different specimen and preparation—not a direct comparison with the histology image.
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Common sections answer different questions.
What was examined?
Identifies the tissue, location, and often the procedure used to collect it.
What kind of tumor?
Classifies the tumor based on the cells and tissue where it began.
What do the cells look like?
Describes how much the tumor resembles or differs from normal tissue under the microscope.
What is at the edge?
For surgically removed tissue, records whether cancer cells are seen at a cut edge.
What was found nearby?
When nodes are sampled, the report records what was examined and what was observed.
What molecular clues appear?
Some reports include proteins, genes, or other features used in classification or care planning.
REPORTS VARY
Not every report contains every section. Only the treating team can interpret a report in the context of an individual’s complete medical information.
04 / DO NOT MIX THESE UP
Grade describes appearance. Stage describes extent.
A pathologist determines tumor grade by examining how the cells and tissue compare with normal tissue. Stage describes how much cancer is present and whether it has reached nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Systems differ by cancer type.
Microscopic appearance
May help indicate how abnormal the tumor looks and how it could behave. The scale is cancer-specific.
Read the grade field note →Location and extent
Often considers the primary tumor, nearby lymph nodes, and whether cancer has spread farther.
Read the stage field note →SOURCES / LEARN MORE
Continue with reviewed information.
NCITests and Procedures Used to Diagnose Cancer↗NCISurgical Pathology Reports↗NCITumor Grade↗NCICancer Staging↗General education only. This page cannot interpret a scan, biopsy, pathology report, or stage for an individual.