Always keeping the patient in mind, Dr. Cole says his mission as a pathologist is clear: extract and convey any and all useful information from each tissue specimen he examines. As the founder and chief executive officer of TruCore Pathology, he has remained at the forefront of his field by responding to its changing landscape. By staying abreast of the latest developments in medicine, he can help safely guide cancer patients toward a personalized treatment plan.
When molecular assays and digital pathology emerged as important game-changers in 2015, Dr. Cole partnered with Lumea to develop a more robust pathology process. By utilizing digital pathology and propriety sampling techniques, he discovered that more tissue could be preserved while improving cancer detection, reducing turnaround times and simplifying genomic testing.
Today, Dr. Cole reads more than 60,000 prostate samples every year for urology groups in nine states—including Urology Partners of North Texas. By focusing exclusively on prostate pathology, he has been able to define a new space where biomarkers are used in conjunction with traditional Gleason grading—adding clarity to the inherent subjectivity associated with traditional prostate cancer grading.
As active surveillance becomes more prevalent and guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) continue to evolve, Dr. Cole is an active participant in determining when biomarkers are appropriate (based on tissue examined under the microscope). Since reflex ordering is rightfully frowned upon, Dr. Cole also considers a patient’s age, PSA, tumor volume, grade, tumor phenotype (within Gleason grade 4 disease) and current NCCN guidelines when recommending or ordering a biomarker.
Dr. Cole earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he graduated with honors. He completed his master’s degree in health science at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Afterward, he earned his medical degree at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, and completed his residency in pathology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He is a board-certified pathologist with a focus in genitourinary and molecular pathology.
Dr. Cole lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, and serves in the United States Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel and squadron commander of the 44th AMDF/301FW at Eglin Air Force Base. In his free time, he enjoys fly fishing and getting his money’s worth on the golf course.
