These medical specialists who work behind the scenes, vital for the diagnosis of diseases and treatment of patients, left their laboratories and microscopes, for a brief spell to celebrate an important birthday.

Founded on March 15, 1975, this year is the 50th anniversary of the College of Pathologists of Sri Lanka (CPSL) and it was time for them not just to celebrate this milestone but also look towards the future.

A glimpse into the beginnings is beautifully captured in ‘The Final Diagnosis: A 50 Year Odyssey’, a commemorative publication on the CPSL’s “remarkable” history.

Authored and edited by Emeritus Professor Chandu de Silva; Professor Janaki Hewavisenthi; Professor Isha Prematilleke; and Dr. Palitha Ratnayake, the book documenting the CPSL and the evolution of laboratory medicine in Sri Lanka, was launched during the CPSL’s International Conference recently.

It was a simple affair, the beginnings – 18 pathologists meeting under the leadership of Dr. W.D. Ratnavale, with other stalwarts such as Dr. Doris Peiris, Dr. H.R. Wickramasinghe and Dr. Ranee Perera in attendance, according to ‘The Final Diagnosis’. The much-needed gender balance being ensured even so long ago!

That inaugural meeting had been in the Consultants’ Lounge of the Colombo General Hospital (now National Hospital of Sri Lanka – NHSL) at 5 p.m. on March 15, 1975.

With Dr. Ratnavale donning the mantle as the first CPSL President, the tone was set.“…….from modest beginnings emerged a professional body that has, for five decades, shaped medical education, guided national policy decisions and strengthened Sri Lanka’s capacity for accurate disease diagnosis,” the book states.

It also looks at those early days when all laboratory related professionals – histopathologists, haematologists, chemical pathologists, microbiologists and forensic pathologists – were members of the CPSL and how later most of these categories branched off to establish their own professional colleges.Currently, the majority of the CPSL’s membership consists of histopathologists.

It is also through the book that the first academic session held on July 5, 1975, comes to the fore. With Prof. R.G. Panabokke delivering the inaugural lecture on breast carcinoma, ‘The Final Diagnosis’ describes how this event set a “precedent” for scientific rigor, open discussion and shared learning that continues today.

Flash forward to 2025 and numerous have been the celebratory events on the 50th anniversary, under CPSL President Prof. Priyani Amarathunga.

Launched in March on the theme ‘Commemorating the Past, Excelling in the Present and Aspiring for the Future’, Prof. Amarathunga too like those who have gone before, had set the tone by spotlighting her speciality of histopathology as the study of the origins and nature of diseases and the structural abnormalities produced by diseases.

‘Pathology’ derives from the Greek terms pathos (suffering) and logia (study) and is described as being a ‘bridge’ between science and medicine.

While ‘Reflecting on the present, to prepare for tomorrow’, Prof. Amarathunga outlines the significant evolution of histopathology from autopsy-based analysis to the examination of minimally-invasive biopsies facilitated by advanced clinical technologies.

In preparation for these rapid advancements in histopathology, particularly in the context of cancer diagnosis and individualized treatment, she emphasizes the critical need for enhanced multi-disciplinary collaboration, rigorous adherence to standardized specimen handling protocols and a proactive integration of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The CPSL’s star event was the 50th Anniversary International Conference from October 22 to 25, organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (UCFM), and the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology (BDIAP). It had brought together more than 235 delegates from 10 countries as well as many local experts.

Offering unique perspectives, the ‘Panoramic Patho Vision 2025’, an art competition and exhibition held in parallel to the conference had been organized by CPSL and the Colombo University’s Department of Medical Humanities. Competitors in the categories of paintings, photography, poetry, prose, sculptures and wood carvings, had explored how the world is seen through the microscope, the diagnostic process or how the human side of disease could be transformed into creative work.

The other events dotting the CPSL calendar included a Video Competition on Cancer Awareness among undergraduates early in the year; a ‘Pathology Day 2025 – Cancer Awareness’ held on July 17 at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital; and in September, the Path Master Quiz – the inaugural inter-university quiz with all 12 medical faculties taking part.

The impactful ‘Pathology Day’ on the theme ‘Histopathology saves lives: The hidden language of diseases’, had been held in collaboration with the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital’s Department of Histopathology. It had been supported by the Health Ministry’s Directorate of Education, Training & Research Unit and the Anuradhapura Medical Association.

The highlights had included guided tours for people through the histopathology laboratory. Females had benefited from free cervical smear screening and an FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) clinic, offering critical early cancer diagnostic services.

A powerful stage drama on early breast cancer detection had been held by the Rajarata University medical undergraduates.

The Path Master Quiz, meanwhile, was won by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, while the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, were the first and second runners-up respectively.

With regard to post-graduate education, Prof.Amarathunga says that while the CPSL has a partnership with the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM), it also supported the holding of the Fellowship Examination of the Royal College of Pathologists this year in Sri Lanka.

She says that another significant partnership is with the BDIAP from which was born the Sri Lankan British School of Pathology to support biennial international conferences in Sri Lanka. The 10th such conference is scheduled for next year (2026).

“Behind every accurate diagnosis,
every life-saving treatment plan and every well-functioning laboratory, there is a legacy built by the CPSL and its members,” adds Prof.Amarathunga, echoing ‘The Final Diagnosis’

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