Forty-two years ago, in an editorial published in the Archives of Pathology, Lester S. King posed the question: How does a pathologist make a diagnosis?1 He began by describing a widespread feeling about pathologic diagnosis: The pathologist observes and classifies what he sees, but he "makes no deductions or inferences" in this process. . . . In all "diagnostic" decisions, the pathologist ...

Endemic pemphigus foliaceus (EPF), or fogo selvagem, is a chronic autoimmune disease1 characterized by the formation of intraepidermal blisters, which are attributed to the presence of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) and IgG1 autoantibodies against desmoglein 1(2) that reduce the adhesion between keratinocytes.3 In addition to the presence of autoantibodies, a high production of cytokines involved in the inflammatory response ...

In the United States, cancer of the colon and rectum has the unfortunate designation as the second leading cause of cancer death.1 The principal treatment modality consists of surgical resection of the colon or rectum including the pericolonic fatty tissue. Lymph node (LN) retrieval from the pericolonic fatty tissue is necessary for proper tumor staging and is the most ...

The pancreas, biliary system, and ampulla of Vater share a common embryologic origin. Primarily ductal systems that facilitate digestion, these 3 anatomic sites are derived from the embryonic foregut.1 Furthermore, the cooccurrence of carcinomas of the pancreas, extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBD), and ampulla and the coexistence of ampullary neoplasms with pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia has been described.2-6 This association ...