Overview
Cytopathology is the branch of pathology concerned with the study of disease at the level of individual cells. It involves examining cells collected from body fluids, secretions, or tissues, often obtained through minimally invasive methods such as fine-needle aspiration, scrapings, or smears, under a microscope to detect abnormalities indicative of disease. Cytopathology is widely used to diagnose and screen for cancer and precancerous changes, as in cervical cytology, and to evaluate lesions in organs such as the thyroid, breast, lung, and lymph nodes, as well as to investigate infections and inflammatory conditions. Because it relies on samples that are typically easier and less invasive to obtain than surgical biopsies, it serves as a valuable first-line diagnostic and screening tool, with findings often confirmed or refined by additional testing. Advances in molecular and ancillary techniques have expanded the information that can be derived from cytological specimens. Within the scope of Advanced Cytology, which addresses the structure, function, and pathology of cells, this page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to cell-based diagnosis and the cytological evaluation of disease.
Research published in this journal
1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.