Accurate diagnosis of the disease is for tailoring of the treatment. The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (DPLM) is an ever growing integral part of Nepal Cancer Hospital and Research Center (NCHRC) since its establishment. It has critical role in the field of disease process providing final diagnosis of cancer including evaluation of prognostic and predictive markers, treatment failure, recurrence and persistence of disease.
Our sole mission is to deliver the best in everything we do, maintain quality and ethical standard of the services offered, promote teamwork and collaboration.
Pathologists and other specialties in the department works in a multidisciplinary approach in NCHRC Also telepathological consultation is done with senior pathologists in different specialties from around the world on regular basis. The department is equipped with fully automatic, modern and sophisticated equipment manned by highly trained and experienced pathologists and laboratory personnel providing quality diagnosis, evaluation of prognostic and predictive markers in cancer. We ensure quality of our services with regular internal and external quality control system.
Units and Services available at our department
Various services are offered in the department as follows:
Histopathology and Cytopathology Unit
- Gross , microscopic examination of tissue specimen and diagnosis following CAP protocols
- Special stains: Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS), PAS-D, Mucicarmine, Giemsa stain, Masson trichome(MT), Reticulin stain, Hale’s Colloidal Iron Stain, Congo red, AFB stain,
- Frozen sections on regular basis for intraoperative consultation of margin status of surgical specimen, sentinel lymph node examination for tumor metastasis and diagnosis in suspicious cases.
- USG, CT and intraoperative FNAC and cell block preparation.
- ROSE technique for sample adequacy during FNAC procedure.
- Convetional Pap smear and Liquid based cytology, body fluid examination (ascitic, pleural, pericardial and CSF), bronchial brush, bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL) fluid, nipple discharge, touch smear and sputum smear examination, urine for cytology.
Immunohischemistry service
- Immunohistochemical analysis is available for different cancer diagnosis, prognostic & predictive markers. Breast cancer, lung cancer panels and many other IHC markers are available at our services.
Hematology & Transfusion medicine unit
- Routine hematological tests, bone marrow aspirate, clot and biopsy examination, reticulocyte count, Heinz bodies, sickling test, urine for hemosiderin
- Special stains- Iron, Reticulin, Myeloperoxidase stain(MPO), periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain
- Routine coagulation tests including factor inhibitor screening and Clot solubility test
- Storage of whole blood and blood products, blood grouping, cross matching and Direct Coombs’ test by Gel card method.
Microbiology unit
- Gram stain, AFB stain, Culture and sensitivity tests, serological tests and other related clinical pathological tests.
Biochemistry unit
- Routine biochemical tests backed up by fully automated analyzer
- Hormonal tests
- Serum tumor markers
Clinical pathology unit
- Routine urine and stool examination
Infection control unit
- This unit is under the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and it tirelessly works to ensure to minimize the infection in our hospital.
Academic and research activities
Postgraduate Residents, fellows, masters student trainees in different specialties from National Academy Medical Sciences (NAMS) and Tribhuvan University posted to our department to learn on tumor biology and oncopathology , microbiology and also regarding the importance of frozen section and its procedure . Also, a good number of BMLT students are posted for practical in the department.
Pathologists are integral important member of multidisciplinary NCHRC Tumor Board meetings regularly held every week playing vital role in patient management.
Every member of the department participate actively in different conferences, presentations, camps and cancer awareness programs.
CMEs, workshop and conferences are conducted in collaboration with other departments/specialties and organizations.
Working in biomedical research and also in collaboration with other specialites/departments of NCHRC and outside organizations in this field.
Community and preventive activities :
Pathology Department provides support and services to the community camps like cancer awareness and Pap smear camps including regular screening packages including volunteering /free of cost services in many of these.
Future Plans
Flowcytometry, molecular pathology, biobanking and expansion of immunohistochemistry markers.
Human resources
The department is headed by Dr Hari Prasad Dhakal, MBBS, MD, PhD with a total of 30 staff currently working with a commitment to provide quality services in diagnosis, prognostication, predictive markers and follow up evaluation for our patients.
- One Senior consultant pathologist(Full time)
- Two Consultant pathologist(Full time)
- One Consultant hematopathologist(Part time)
- One Pathology Senior Registrar(Full time)
- One Pathology Registrar(Full time)
- One Asst. laboratory in-charge (Full time)
- Four technologists (One histotechnologist and three medical technologists)
- Thirteen technician (three histotechinician)
- One Assistant Officer (Full time)
- One office assistant (Full time)
- Two receptionists (Full time)
- Two attendants (Full time)
Operating hours
- We operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Sample in different sections of pathology & Laboratory Medicine from 2015 to 2020