Book review—Diagnostic Pathology: Cytopathology, 2nd edition

Excerpt

The second edition of this volume appears just four years after the first edition and it is an evident testimony of the important changes in the field of cytopathology. In fact, the practice of pathology has witnessed a significant shift in the past years. The challenge of obtaining more information with small amounts of tissue and cells is becoming a constant approach in the management of patients. Molecular testing knowledge and technology and its applications have rapidly advanced in the past five years. In fact, several evidences suggested that molecular analysis on fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples may improve the accuracy of cytological diagnosis and guide patient management. For example, many entities, such as lung cancers, significantly benefit from being diagnosed only on the cytological specimens representing the unique and possible source of material for the appropriate management or/and treatment. This increasing role of cytology is also supported by the introduction and development of minimally invasive procedures in order to obtain adequate diagnostic material from small biopsies or cytological specimens. Cytopathology is rapidly evolving and representing a critical and central point so that the high-throughput molecular analysis and the evaluation of mutations and other genomic changes might be integrated in the cytological evaluation of samples. All these aspects together with the quality of information and the support of excellent quality and well-chosen pictures have been emphasized and improved in this second edition. This is a very good textbook with a significant amount of text arranged in a table-like structure with bullet points. This comprehensive textbook is written with the idea of offering a practical and easy-to-access format. The different topics highlight the essential criteria needed for diagnosis or adequate evaluation from a cytological perspective. The goal is to offer quick, up-to-date information on cytopathology so that it either helps the cytopathologists to arrive at the correct diagnosis or refresh their memory about the diagnostic features. The book covers all the aspect of cytology from gynecologic, to non-gynecologic and FNAC offering the most recent approaches and relevant information for each of the entities in the different sections. The authors described in details the morphological and cellular features which are the crucial mainstay for a correct diagnosis. For instance, the authors covered the most recent classification systems such as the Bethesda 2014 reporting terminology for gynecologic cytology and updates on HPV testings and management outlines; updates on the Milan System for reporting salivary gland cytology with risk stratification; the Paris System for reporting urinary cytology; and updates on the Bethesda 2017 reporting system for thyroid cytology. These evaluations show the combination of morphology with the risk of malignancy (ROM) and the clinical management strategies. Furthermore, what I really appreciate is the evaluation of the possible differential diagnoses which are detailed and evaluated with the essential morphological features and the combination of ancillary techniques. The textbook analyzes and discusses the state-of-art for the immunocytochemistry and molecular markers in the different entities as well as current information on lab operations, quality improvement, and risk reduction. References are well selected and associated with the different and specific topics and subjects so that there is a direct correspondence to the literature. An abundance of high-quality images offers an invaluable diagnostic aid for every cytopathologist, resident, and fellow who starts and works on cytology. …