Pathology Category

1. An Introduction to Pathology

• Familiarise yourself with what pathology is and what a pathologist does.

• Understand the causes of cell injury and death and its mechanisms.
• Understand the microscopic morphology of cell injury.
• Understand the difference between oncosis, necrosis, and apoptosis.
• Understand pathological calcification.
• Understand cellular aging and the reason behind it.

• Become familiar with epithelial cells, their shapes and layering
• Understand the role of the skin, its structure and some of its pathologies.

4. Acute Inflammation

• Understand the process of acute inflammation, from the stimulus to the resolution.

5.  Chronic Inflammation

• Understand what causes chronic inflammation to arise.
• Know which cells are involved in chronic inflammation and their roles.
• Understand some effects of chronic inflammation.

• Understand the processes involved in regeneration and repair of tissues
• Understand factors influencing regeneration and repair
• Understand some conditions affecting collagen synthesis
• Understand some complications of fibrous repair

7.  The Lymphatic System

• Understand the anatomy and general function of the lymphatic system
• Understand some conditions affecting the lymphatic system

• Describe the principles of haemostasis and the critical steps in the clotting cascade including:
  • The role of the vessel wall, platelets and the platelet plug, the coagulation system, the fibrinolytic system, and plasmin
  • The production of thrombin and fibrin
  • The role of thrombin inhibitors
  • When haemostasis is pathological

• Understand what can increase the likelihood of thrombosis occurring and infer which groups may be most at risk.
• Appreciate the process by which thrombi are formed.
• Familiarise yourself with the different types and methods of embolisation.

• Understand the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis
• Understand complications of atherosclerosis
• Understand clinical conditions caused by atherosclerosis
• Understand risk factors for atherosclerosis, and measures take to prevent it or intervene

• Recall the types of responses tissues can have when exposed to stimuli
• Recall some examples of common stimuli

• Understand some features of neoplasms
• Compare features of benign and malignant neoplasms
• Understand basic nomenclature of neoplasms
• Understand the difference between a carcinoma in-situ and an invasive carcinoma
• Understand the concept of tumour grading and staging

• Understand the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on carcinogenesis.
• Understand the actions of tumour suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes.
• Understand what is meant by cancer progression.
• Understand the Hallmarks of Cancer, and how they relate to carcinogenesis.

• Understand what is meant by invasion and metastasis
• Know the different routes of metastasis
• Understand systemic and local effects of tumours
• Understand what tumour markers are, and how they aid in monitoring tumour burden