Survival Guide to Endocrine Pathology

This book is intended to help pathologists survive when faced with cases of endocrine pathology. The intention however is not only to help one survive, but to thrive, to appreciate the complexity of this field, to grasp the simplicity that can make it understandable, and to enjoy the pearls that make this one of the most rewarding areas of pathology.

Endocrine pathology is a relatively young subspecialty and not widely practiced by experts who see the entire spectrum of endocrine disorders. The author, Dr. Sylvia Asa, has been practicing almost exclusively in this field for over 30 years, and with that experience and the learnings that come from intense collaboration with endocrinologists, surgeons and radiologists, she has gathered a large collection of cases of endocrine pathology from all parts of the body.

In this book, the reader will see not only thyroid and parathyroid pathology, but also pituitary and adrenal pathology, as well as the pathology of neuroendocrine tumors from top to bottom, and the vast spectrum of paraganglia that occur at so many sites, including in the soft tissues of the torso but also within organs. One of the unique features of this discipline is the requirement to understand both structure and function. In endocrine pathology, in addition to classifying the lesion of interest, one must understand the regulation of hormone synthesis and secretion, and its impact on tumors, the nontumorous endocrine tissues, and the patient. Moreover, endocrine pathology goes beyond classical molecular genetics and has a tendency to be familial. Mastering this discipline requires the ability to recognize familial disorders, understand their relationships, and help physicians appreciate the unifying nature of disparate disorders and avoid pitfalls that come with this challenge of multifocal disease.

 This book will provide assistance to those who seek it and inspiration to those who are finding their niche in pathology.