Cytopathology
Cytology is the study of individual cells of the body, as opposed to histology which is the study of whole human tissue itself. The human body is made up of millions of cells and these can be sampled and looked at under the microscope, after suitable preparation, to help diagnose medical conditions.
Cytology is widely used in medicine for the prevention and diagnosis of disease. In 2016 over 3,000,000 cervical screening samples were taken in England as part of the cervical screening programme. There is no accurate figure available for the use of cytology in other tissues, but it is used on a daily basis to help diagnose cancerous and non-cancerous conditions of the respiratory, urinary, and gastro-intestinal tracts as well as thyroid gland, salivary glands and lymph nodes to name but a few.
On this page you'll find a hub of resources for those working in cytopathology pathology, including links to our cancer datasets and tissue pathways and upcoming College and CPD-accredited events.
Upcoming events in cellular pathology
International Pathology Day 2025 - Virtual Event
5 November 2025
