The only way to truly interpret this is to have your MO or H&N surgeon explain it to you or you would have to look up every word in a medical encyclopedia, then all of the associated words and still not get it right.

But, for what it's worth, IMO, it sounds like a typical early stage tongue cancer pathology report. The 2 most important terms in a path report are: Differentiation -which means has the cancer remained in one tissue type ("well differentiated") or is in the bone, muscle, lymph and other soft tissue ("poorly differentiated"), in other words it's degree of invasiness? Secondly "Focally infiltrating" is related to differention. Ideally you only want one tissue type involved.

Without knowing the degree of differentiation, it is difficult to interpret your report (and we are not doctors or pathologists anyway). We might sound like it at times, but we are patients and/or caregivers just like you.

Last edited by Gary; 03-27-2011 11:12 PM.

Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)