Department of Pathology @ Ospedale San Raffaele

Mission of the Pathology Unit has three aims: diagnostic, scientific and didactic  activities. Diagnostic activity is our first mission. We provide histopathological, cytopathological and molecular diagnosis for San Raffaele Hospital, as well as outservice for several other hospitals of GSD Group and other external Clinics. We receive also several cases from patients seeking a second expert opinion. The role of diagnostic pathology has moved from basic morphological observation to comprehensive tissue analysis through combined histological, immunohistochemical and molecular evaluations. Accordingly,  novel scientific achievements and technologies have been translated into useful clinical tests that provide a molecular fingerprint of diseases and that are predictive of the response to treatment. In our daily work we utilize these tools  into diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications. This approach involves yearly around 90.000 cases per year with a constant increasing trend. Our Medical Staff covers all the areas of Pathology with individual expertises in different fields. The histopathology lab is fully equipped with most updated instruments and is moving to diagnostics fully performed with whole digital slides - Digital Pathology.

The Oncologic Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory of our Unit is an accredited and certified multidisciplinary laboratory devoted to provide patients and clinicians with comprehensive and accurate molecular testing. Our laboratory performs a wide range of DNA and RNA based tests for solid tumors, hematologic malignancies and infectious diseases, utilizing a wide spectrum of molecular techniques and platforms to evaluate nucleic acids isolated from patient samples, including tissues, fluids and blood, for a comprehensive assessement  of altered genes associated with solid and hematopoietic tumors,  including lung, colon, breast, melanoma, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers as well lymphoid and hematological malignanci, for which  approved targeted therapies are  already available.