The smaller circle on the right is normal breast tissue. The bigger circle on the left contains the donut-shaped glands, with white centers, that are the telltale signs of an invasive breast cancer. (Image courtesy Michael Misialek)

By Dr. Michael Misialek

Guest contributor

“How much time do I have?” was the first question Mrs. C asked.

She had called me in a panic. Earlier in the week, I had diagnosed her with breast cancer. She called me after learning the bad news from her radiologist. A whirlwind of appointments with oncology, surgery and radiation oncology ensued, overwhelming her with information.

I knew her case — these cells and her pathology — well, having just presented the pathology at our weekly breast cancer conference.

I struggled to reassure her, telling her that treatment has advanced and catching it early was very encouraging.

But there was silence. I envisioned her on the other end of the line, nervous fingers playing with the phone cord. Finally she said, “It would give me great comfort to meet with you since you are a pathologist. I would like to review my slides along with you.”

Dr. Michael Misialek (Courtesy)

It was an exceedingly rare request by a patient, but one I deeply welcomed.

I am a pathologist. I spend more time studying your cells and developing a diagnosis then your other doctors spend with you. For particularly tough cases, I ask my partners for help, even send images for another opinion to my academic specialist colleagues, who may in turn show them to still more pathologists.

Many eyes have likely seen your cells. Yet, I am often unseen by you, maybe even unknown. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can request a meeting with me, you can ask — as Mrs. C did — to review your pathology, whatever the diagnosis, benign or malignant. No request is too small.

Will the health care system allow for this? Won't it resist? My colleagues from other specialties have embraced it. But currently we cannot bill for these patient consults. That's part of my reason for writing this: We pathologists are advocating to make our consultations with patients billable, like a patient's consultations with any other specialists. Pathologists are taking on new roles, and the system needs to change to reflect the value of pathology.

My job is not just about diagnosing cancers. Anything that is biopsied, cut out of your body, scraped off, smeared, aspirated, coughed up, excreted or cultured will pass under my microscope.

I discuss treatment plans with every kind of doctor: primary care, surgeons, oncologists, gynecologists, gastroenterologists and more. Pathologists are quarterbacks, calling each play, just as in football.

With nearly 80% of medical care dependent upon lab tests, a care plan can only be developed with this information. This is the world of pathology.

We’re in the midst of great change in medicine. With the information gleaned from sequencing the human genome, we are beginning to unravel the mysteries of cancer and other diseases. Pathologists have been key players in this discovery pipeline. Care can now be individualized. This leads to quicker diagnoses, earlier and more effective treatments and improved outcomes. Buzz words like “personalized healthcare” and “precision medicine” are becoming commonplace.