Interdisciplinary Pathology - Demonstrated for Lung Pathology

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Carvalho, Lina

Affiliations: Anatomia Patológica, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, 3000 Coimbra - Portugal

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Lina Carvalho Anatomia Patológica Faculdade de Medicina Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra 3000 Coimbra - Portugal

Abstract: We are aware that lung pathology is growing in respect to published articles and daily events. The increase of lung disease incidence is related to the alterations of our environment, which we have to stay and cannot escape. The mortality and morbidity of patients suffering from lung diseases, mainly lung cancer and interstitial pneumonia, increase the eagerness of scientists and medical doctors pursuing the same objective: to understand and treat these diseases. In lung cancer, early screening has not yet reached a sufficient level of accuracy. Symptomatic patients have to be submitted to detailed methods for diagnosis and treatment. Live imaging plays the first role in an appropriate staging and evaluation of anatomic disease extent. Both cytology and histopathology perform the middle act between diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Although the involvement of lymph nodes still dictates the future of a lung cancer patient, the cooperation between pathologists and molecular researchers is apparently useful for interdisciplinary conclusions: aneuploidy may indicate resistence to treatment; early detection of lung cancer by merging the results of DNA content, p53, c-erb B2, ras proteins and ribonucleotide reductase alterations may promise an approach to high risk recurrence. Some molecular staging protocols related to prognosis in post-surgical treatment are already indicating useful results. In the area of interstitial lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, recent approaches define viral infections as the starting point and indicate lung transplant as an improved treatment in comparison to standard medical care. It seems to bring new insights in the understanding and impovement in the prognosis of these diseases. Although still discussed controversy in lung cancer, serological determinations of some molecules are being explored to understand the evolution of interstitial lung diseases. To obtain significant results, an interdisciplinary approach between clinicians, radiologists, therapists, and researchers is obligatory

Keywords: interdisciplinary research, lung cancer, diagnosis, staging, molecular biology

Journal: Electronic Journal of Pathology and Histology, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 08-08, 2001