■
SPRING 1995 ISSUE
■
SINAI HOSPITAL
NOWNNIPPOng
More than a Microscope
says the patient,
of the report,"
says Mujtaba Hu-
sain, M.D., Direc-
tor of Cytopathology at Sinai
Hospital. "The contemporary
pathologist is part of the health
care team, rather than trapped be-
Just a few years ago, women
fretted over reports in the papers
about improperly prepared Pap
smears that resulted in a high
number of false negative results.
As a member of the national com-
mittee of the Bethesda System,
Dr. Husain helped establish stan-
dards for the adequa-
cy of the Pap smears
in the detection of cer-
vical cancer. These
standards are used
across the United
States.
"Most false nega-
tive Pap smears are
due to sampling er-
ror," he says. "The
cells simply do not
make it to the slide."
Dr. Husain has tak-
en positive action to
help avoid this situa-
tion. He lectures clin-
icians on the proper
devices and proper
techniques. At Sinai,
he provides gynecol-
ogists with monthly
reports on the ade-
quacy of their slides.
Dr. Mujtaba Husain, Director of Cytopathology at Sinai, participates on
"In 1992," he says,
Tumor Boards with several other Sinai specialists.
"an estimated 55 mil-
hind a microscope." Instead of just lion Pap smears were taken in this
reading slides, these experts of country. Evaluation is usually done
disease at the microscopic level di- by cytotechnologists." Imagine a
rectly contribute to the efforts of slide with 300,000 cells on it. An
the health care team.
abnormal smear contains only
"First, we assure that we get the about 1,000 abnormal cells. "That
best possible specimen," Dr. Hu- is why you need a very specially-
sain says. 'Then we help select the
trained person to read the slide.
appropriate diagnostic procedure We are all highly trained and very
when needed for further study.
particular; we have strong quality
With that, we can provide the clin-
assurance protocols in our lab at
ician with a precise diagnosis so Sinai. Our pathologists review
the most efficient treatment can high-risk cases even though the
be ordered."
smear results were reported as
Where is Sinai?
Q inai Hospital is centrally
10l located in metropolitan
Detroit on West Outer Drive
just north of West McNichols/
Six Mile Road and two blocks
east of Greenfield. The main
entrance is on West Outer
Drive. Valet parking is avail-
able at the McNichols/Six
Mile entrance.
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DEARBORN
94
75 I
incidence Up, Death Rate Down
ethesda —According to the National Cancer Institute, the incidence of can-
cer has increased, but death rates have declined. Twenty-eight cancers in
men and 30 cancers in women were assessed for trends.
The major reasons for the increase in incidence of cancer are-improved screen-
ing and early diagnosis, sun exposure, smoking, and AIDS. Early diagnosis
results in an increase in the number of cancers which otherwise may have gone
undetected.
For the first two years of this decade, the cancer death rate declined. This is
the first time these statistics have declined.
normal by the technologist."
Dr. Husain also participates on
Sinai's Tumor Boards. These are
composed of specialists from many
fields, including medical oncolo-
gists, ontological surgeons, radia-
tion oncologists, and a pathologist
who specializes in the particular
organ system. Dr. Husain, for ex-
ample, is a member of the Gyne-
cology and Breast Tumor Boards.
Together these experts determine
the treatment options for a patient
and make recommendations to the
patient's primary care physician
(internist, family practitioner,
gynecologist).
Every single cancer patient who
comes to Sinai benefits from a con-
sensus of opinions from a broad
spectrum of specialists. The physi-
cians all sit down together and be-
gin with treatment standards.
Then modifications are made to fit
the individual patient. The ulti-
mate decisions regarding treat-
ment are made by the patient.
When Dr. Husain talks about
treating the patient, he is not just
speaking in the abstract. Less than
two decades ago, if a patient came
in with a tumor, the only way to
get a sample of tumor cells from
certain organs was to perform
a surgical biopsy. In 1978, Dr.
Husain introduced a technique
known as the fine needle aspira-
tion biopsy.
With fine needle biopsy, if a mass
can be felt or visualized by imag-
ing tests, a needle can be insert-
ed through the skin and a small
sample of the lesion removed. This
is enough for a cytopathologist to
make a diagnosis and let the physi-
cian know if the tumor is cancer-
ous or not.
Dr. Husain cites the advantages:
"It is faster, less expensive, and
means less pain and side effects to
the patient." As such, it satisfies
many of Sinai's goals all to the ben-
efit of the patient.
HealthNews Briefs
continued from page 1
of Plastic Surgery at Sinai, notes
many other advances in plastic
surgery. Tattoos can be removed
by laser, thus leaving the patient
scarless. Endoscopic facelifts often
require only five small incisions in-
stead of the large incision of a tra-
ditional facelift. There are new
treatments for a facepeel which
leave the skin looking younger and
last longer than facepeels of the
past. For referral to a physician
or for more information, call
SinaiSource at 1-800-248-3627.
HealthNews
HealthNews is published as a community service to provide up-to-date
information about Sinai Hospital, its physicians and services.
Founded in 1953, Sinai Hospital is a 598-bed tertiary care facility on a
36-acre campus centrally located in metropolitan Detroit. Michigan's only
Jewish-sponsored hospital, Sinai has numerous satellite locations through-
out the area.
HealthNews is produced by Sinai Hospital's Corporate Communications/
Marketing Department. For more information, please write Sinai Hospital
Corporate Communications/Marketing, 6767 W. Outer Drive, Detroit,
Michigan 48235.
Copyright 1995 by Sinai Hospital.
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