The final diagnosis of a disease is frequently based on a pathology study, e.g. biopsy. It is therefore essential that a pathology result be confirmed by an expert pathologist.

Based on studies from Europe, Canada and the United States, it is estimated that up to 30% of pathological diagnoses may be inaccurate when the study is reviewed by a pathologist with limited experience in specific organ pathologies. An inaccurate pathological diagnosis may have a significant impact: a patient with benign disease may be diagnosed with cancer and inappropriately receive surgery and/or chemotherapy, or vice versa, a patient with cancer may erroneously be diagnosed with benign disease and not receive treatment. It is therefore recommended that all pathology cases be reviewed by an experienced pathologist prior to instituting therapies with significant associated risks.

To read more about the importance of a second opinion in pathology cases, click here.

Consult a Specialist primarily collaborates with the department of pathology of the MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX), The Methodist Hospital (Houston, TX), and the Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA).

Some of the subspecialty areas of pathology to which Consult a Specialist refers cases for a second opinion are:

• Breast pathology
• Genitourinary/prostate pathology
• Lung pathology
• Liver pathology
• Gastrointestinal pathology
• Renal pathology
• Dermatological pathology
• Hematopathology (blood)
• Leukemia and lymphomas