pathologies

Pathology is the study of disease and the diseases themselves. In medicine, pathology investigates the causes (etiology), mechanisms (pathogenesis), and consequences of disease, including the structural and functional changes in tissues and organs. The plural term pathologies can refer to disease processes in general or to the field of pathology itself. The discipline integrates laboratory science with clinical medicine to explain how diseases develop and progress.

Major domains include anatomical pathology, which relies on gross and microscopic examination of tissues from biopsy or autopsy; clinical or laboratory pathology, which diagnoses disease through tests on blood, body fluids, and tissues; and molecular pathology, which studies genetic and molecular alterations. Pathologies arise from infectious, genetic or congenital, immune-mediated, inflammatory, degenerative, metabolic, vascular, and neoplastic processes. Examples include cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, and autoimmune disorders.

In practice, pathology informs diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. It employs gross examination, microscopy, cytology, and laboratory tests, often in conjunction with imaging and molecular analyses. Understanding pathologies helps explain clinical symptoms and guides patient management. Ongoing pathology research seeks to identify disease mechanisms, discover biomarkers, and develop targeted therapies, contributing to medical knowledge and public health by tracking disease frequency, progression, and responses to environmental and genetic factors.