quick question

pink05
pink05 Member Posts: 550
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hello everyone,

Just a quick question about tumor characteristics. Does anyone know the difference between the differentiations of cancer cells? My dad's onc told us that his cells are poorly differentiated which means that the cancer is aggressive. However, when I read through my dad's pathology report, it said that the tumor is moderately differentiated. I thought that there is a difference between the two. I know that there are well differentiated, moderately differentiated, and poorly differentiated cells. I don't know why the onc. told us that the cells are poorly differentiated when the report says otherwise. Sort of makes me suspicious. I'm thinking that maybe the reason the onc. told us this is because there really isn't much of a difference between the two. My husband told me that I am reading into it too much. Could anyone try to help me clarify this info.? Thanks.

-Lee-

Comments

  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #2
    Lee - there is a lot of literature out there that "differentiates" between colorectal cancer cells that are "well differentiated", "moderately differentiated" or "poorly differentiated". I would not read too much into this, but I would surely ask the onc why the pathology report says one thing and the doc says another. Better to ask than to speculate endlessly.

    Betsy
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #3
    Betsydoglover said:

    Lee - there is a lot of literature out there that "differentiates" between colorectal cancer cells that are "well differentiated", "moderately differentiated" or "poorly differentiated". I would not read too much into this, but I would surely ask the onc why the pathology report says one thing and the doc says another. Better to ask than to speculate endlessly.

    Betsy

    I agree with Betsy (and with what you yourself have written). I am not sure how much difference these classifications really make, but you should question your doc about the discrepancy between the pathology report and what the doc said. Strange.
    Tara

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