Cancer therapies are advancing rapidly and the role of pathology in the continuum of care is evolving. West Cancer Center embraces the endorsement by The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) of the value of integrating pathology as a part of the multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.

Internalizing pathology services allows for more rapid turnaround times, more efficient and consistent reporting of test results, greater quality control, improved clinical-pathologic correlation and enhanced communication between clinicians and pathologists.

Having an in-house Pathology Lab is part of the reason West Cancer Center & Research Institute is recognized as the leader in adult cancer care in the Mid-South. Our lab analyzes:

Biopsy specimens, also called tissue samples, are collected, and examined under a microscope to determine if disease or cancer is present.

Liquid specimens are taken from any cavity in the body, like blood or spinal fluid, to test for the presence of cancer cells.

Immunohistochemical (IHC) and special stains may be used to further analyze samples for prognosis and identifying which drugs would be most beneficial to fight the cancer cells.

Kurt Patton, MD

Anatomic Pathologist / Clinical Pathology Director

Mihaela Onciu, MD

Hematopathologist / Director of Flow Cytometry

David Robins, MD

Pathologist / Anatomic Pathology Lab Director