Histology is the study of microscopic body structures, including cells and other tissues. Histology plays an important role in determining the type of mesothelioma cell a patient has.
Pathologists (doctors that examine fluid/tissue samples to diagnose patients) must be able to distinguish different types of mesothelioma cells from those of other cancer types. This is very important since mesothelioma is so rare (only 3,000 new cases per year).
If mesothelioma cells are misdiagnosed, the patient might not get the proper medical care they need. Having a deep knowledge of cancer histology is crucial to correctly identifying mesothelioma cells.