Gastrointestinal - Pancreatibiliary - Hepatopathology

Gastrointestinal, pancreatobiliary and hepatopathology subspecialty in the Discipline of Anatomical Pathology, PathWest covers clinical and academic Anatomical Pathology services in relation to diseases of the gastrointestinal and pancreatobiliary tract and the liver. A wide range of material including endoscopic biopsies, excisions and resections, as well as relevant cytological preparations are received for assessment from all major teaching hospitals in Perth and various other healthcare facilities within WA.

This service covers the following:

• Routine diagnostic services;
• Dealing with specimens obtained by advanced endoscopic and surgical techniques, such as endoscopic resections and cytological preparations obtained by EUS techniques;
• Pathology services to the WA Liver and Kidney Surgical Transplant Service;
• A referral centre for consultations for difficult and clinically challenging cases;
• Participating in several multidisciplinary meetings contributing directly to clinical care;
• Active undergraduate (UWA) and postgraduate teaching and advanced training as fellowships in the subspecialty;
• Clinical and translational research as collaborations at local (clinicians & UWA), interstate, national and international level;
• Leading and contributing to educational and development activities in the subspecialty collaborating with professional bodies, such as the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA), International Academy of Pathology (IAP) Australasian branch, Australasian Gastrointestinal Pathology Society, Australian Society of cytology (ASC) and relevant societies;
• The designated centre of HER2 testing for gastric/GOJ cancers in WA, (one of the 5 centres in the country).

Certain specimens such as endoscopic resections, specimens for molecular testing and testing focused on target therapy may need special handling and requirements.