Tumors, Neoplasia, and Cancer: Observations through a Microscope

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Pathologists observe the biology of cancer on a daily basis, diagnosing new cancers and staging known cancers simply by looking into a simple tool invented nearly 500 years ago. The low tech microscope yields nothing more than a magnified picture, but careful observation will allow specific patterns to emerge. These patterns are the foundation for our understanding of tumors, neoplasia, and cancer. Tumor (“swelling”), neoplasia (“new growth”), and cancer (“crab”) are words often used synonymously among physicians and patients, but they have specific meanings in the world of pathology and oncology. This lecture will focus on some of the basic concepts of neoplasia, discuss patterns of injury and cell growth, and summarize some observations from this biology watcher and pathologist.