It serves the regional cancer centre, the South East London Cancer Network (SELCN) and is also a national and international referral centre for expert opinion.
The specialist diagnostic and scientific teams aim to deliver the best possible service with access to cutting-edge diagnostic techniques through close links with the cytogenetics and molecular diagnostics departments. Areas of expertise include:
- Adult and Perinatal/Paediatric autopsy
- Breast
- Cervical Cancer
- Endocrine
- Gastrointestinal
- General, soft tissue and osteo-articular pathology
- Gynaecology
- Haematopathology
- Infectious/ tropical diseases
- Renal (Adult and Paediatric including Transplantation)
- Respiratory
- Urology
In addition to processing of fixed tissue, the department offers a frozen section service at both the Guy's and St Thomas' sites, incorporating receipt of fresh tissue for enzyme histochemistry, research, clinical trials and tissue banking.
Within the department is a fully automated immunochemistry laboratory which is a referral centre for HER-2 testing. The laboratory also employs in situ hybridisation and direct immunofluorescence techniques. The dedicated renal histopathology service offers attendance at wards for assistance with biopsy collection and also an oncall Saturday service.
The department is also committed to training and development needs of medical, scientific and support staff.
