Although patients rarely see their pathologist, this medical specialist
plays a lead role in the diagnosis and management of cancer. Not only
does a pathologist diagnose whether or not a person has cancer, but
he or she also determines the stage of the cancer and the grade-or how
aggressive a tumor may be. This information is essential in planning effective cancer treatment,
as a patient with an aggressive or advanced tumor will most likely undergo
more aggressive treatment, while patients with low-grade, early-stage
tumors may not need high-dose radiation or chemotherapy.
At the Cancer Care Centers, a group of pathologists who are highly experienced
in the diagnosis of cancer work collaboratively to provide the most accurate
information possible, in each and every case. They are also committed
to getting results to other team members and to patients fast, with 90
percent of all reports turned around within 24 hours of a biopsy.
Learn more about cancer treatments provided by Southeast Georgia Health System: