Dr. Lester J. Layfield, MD

Expert Publications

• Logistic regression analysis of low grade spindle cell lesions. A cytologic study.
• Logistic regression analysis of small round cell neoplasms: a cytologic study.
• Cytomorphologic features of angiosarcoma on fine needle aspiration biopsy.
• Logistic regression analysis of high grade spindle cell neoplasms. A fine needle aspiration cytologic study.
• Effects of chemotherapy and tamoxifen on cervical and vaginal smears in bone marrow transplant recipients.
• Mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising in the glans penis.
• Prevalence of inter-institutional anatomic pathology slide review: a survey of current practice.
• Macrodystrophia lipomatosa with associated fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the median nerve.
• Fine-needle aspiration cytology: a survey of current utilization in relationship to hospital size, surgical pathology volume, and institution type.
• Abstracts. Mod Pathol 2000;13:17A,19A,22A,24A,25A,27A.
• Fine-needle aspiration findings in nodular myositis: a case report.
• Malignant giant cell tumor of synovium (malignant pigmented villonodular synovitis).
• Abstract digest.
• Significance of lymphoglandular bodies in bone marrow aspiration smears.
• Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the parotid: a case report and review of the literature.

Media Releases

Get to know Pathologist Dr. Lester J. Layfield, who serves patients in Columbia, Missouri.

Dr. Layfield, a board-certified pathologist, works at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri.

A knowledgeable scientist and teacher, he is a Professor & Director of Surgical Pathology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He helped develop a new scoring system for a common lung cancer diagnostic test that may help physicians better understand the risk for malignancy when evaluating patients.

A 1979 graduate of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Layfield went on to perform his internship in pathology, anatomic pathology & clinical pathology at the University of Washington Medical Center. He then completed his residency in pathology, anatomic pathology & clinical pathology at the University of California San Diego.

Licensed to practice medicine in Missouri, North Carolina, and California, he is board-certified in cytopathology & anatomic and clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology, Its mission is to serve the public and advance the profession of pathology by setting certification standards and promoting lifelong competency of pathologists.

For nearly three decades, Dr. Layfield has been nurturing and cultivating ever-emergent talents in the areas of evaluation, clinical pathology and cytology, and he continues to strive for excellence in his every endeavor. He was inspired to pursue his career path by an innate enjoyment of the visual elements demonstrated throughout the industry.

Pathology is a branch of medical science that involves the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of surgically removed organs, tissues, bodily fluids, and in some cases, the whole body. Pathologists are physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and management can help your primary care doctor make a diagnosis about your medical condition. 

An international expert, Dr. Layfield’s research interests include the cytopathology of soft tissue, bone lesions, and head, neck, and breast tumors. In addition to his clinical diagnostic work and teaching of medical students and pathology trainees, he has published nearly 300 articles, contributed to or written more than a dozen books, and lectured around the world to a host of audiences.

With another milestone on his journey, he received the 2011 Ward Burdick Award for Distinguished Service to Clinical Pathology at the 2011 annual meeting in Las Vegas. The award recognizes an ASCP member who has made a significant contribution to pathology through sustained service to the profession and ASCP. Dr. Layfield is the fifth ARUP pathologist to receive the award.

Recommended Articles

• Holistic Treatment for Cholera

  Holistic Treatment for CholeraCholera is an infection that is caused by a bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae. This is a bacterium that is capable of surviving for an extremely long time, even in unpleasant environments. As a result of this factor, the bacteria can spread cholera very fast.Cholera...

• Reasons Why You Need a Biopsy

  OverviewA biopsy is a procedure that involves the removal of a sample tissue in the body to examine it closely under a microscope. The tissue is mainly examined to diagnose a certain disease. Some may use a needle or surgical methods to remove any lumps or suspicious nodules in the body. Some...

• Everything You Need to Know About Biopsy Procedures

  What is a biopsy?A biopsy is a medical procedure, which is mostly used in diagnosing cancer. In this procedure, a small tissue sample is taken from your body for a closer examination under the microscope. A biopsy is usually recommended by your doctor if initial tests in your body suggest an...

• 5 Tips on Living with Mononucleosis

  People with the mononucleosis (or mono) infection can live perfectly normal lives by doing what is best for them during their period of affliction. In this review, I have outlined the most essential tips on living with mononucleosis. In choosing these tips, the emphasis was focused on the well-being...

• What to Expect After a Biopsy

  Biopsies may vary differently depending on the type and location of the tissues and how hard are they to obtain. The medical term used to describe such method is “invasiveness.” A less invasive procedure will, for example, take place in a doctor’s office the same day an abnormal tissue is...

• How to Prepare for a Biopsy

  A biopsy procedure is a very important procedure, which is used to identify the underlying cause of your abnormal body tissues. Depending on your condition and the location of the tissue abnormality, different types of biopsies may be performed on you. A biopsy preparation, therefore, depends on...