Meet Your Care Team
Dr. Ghulam Ilyas, MD — Gastrointestinal Pathologist
AP/CP board-certified pathologist, fellowship trained in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary pathology, leading in-house pathology at Curative Digestive Disease Center in Houston.
Fellowship-Trained Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Pathologist
Dr. Ghulam Ilyas is an AP/CP board-certified pathologist with fellowship training in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary pathology. He leads the in-house pathology service at Curative Digestive Disease Center, reading the tissue taken during endoscopy, colonoscopy, and liver biopsy on site rather than sending it to an outside laboratory.
See What Our Pathologist ReviewsWhat Our Pathologist Reviews
Almost every significant GI diagnosis is confirmed under a microscope. Dr. Ilyas evaluates:
Colon polyps — distinguishing benign from precancerous and cancerous tissue, which determines your next screening interval
Inflammatory bowel disease — separating Crohn's disease from ulcerative colitis and grading disease activity
Barrett's esophagus — identifying dysplasia that changes surveillance and treatment
Gastric biopsies — H. pylori infection, gastritis, and precancerous change
Celiac disease and small bowel disorders — confirming diagnosis from duodenal biopsy
Liver biopsies — grading fibrosis and identifying fatty liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and cirrhosis
Pancreatic and biliary specimens, including EUS-guided fine-needle samples and brush cytology
Learn Why On-Site Pathology Matters
Why On-Site Pathology Matters
Most gastroenterology practices ship specimens to an external laboratory, which adds days or weeks before anyone can tell you what was found. Because Dr. Ilyas works within our practice, results typically return within a few business days and your treatment plan begins sooner.
The benefit is not only speed. A GI-subspecialized pathologist reading alongside the gastroenterologist who performed the procedure means the report is interpreted with full clinical context — what the endoscopist saw, where exactly the sample came from, and what question the biopsy was meant to answer. Difficult cases can be discussed directly rather than through a referral chain.
Part of a Complete Care Pathway
In-house pathology is one link in a chain we keep under one roof: consultation with a board-certified gastroenterologist, the procedure in our own endoscopy suite with anesthesia care from Dr. Larry Tong, the pathology read by Dr. Ilyas, and — where a cancer is found — direct handover to Dr. Anaum Maqsood and our oncology program. Fewer handoffs mean fewer delays at the point where they matter most.
AP/CP Board Certified Pathologist, fellowship trained Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Pathologist
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Board-certified gastroenterologists in Houston. Same-day appointments available.
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FAQs About Dr. Ghulam Ilyas
What does a GI pathologist do?
A gastrointestinal pathologist examines the tissue taken during your endoscopy or colonoscopy under a microscope and issues the diagnosis. Whether a polyp is precancerous, whether inflammation is Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, whether a liver biopsy shows fibrosis — those answers come from pathology, not from the procedure itself.
Why does in-house pathology matter for me?
Most practices ship biopsies to an outside laboratory, which adds days or weeks. Because Dr. Ilyas reads our specimens on site, results typically return in days and your treatment plan starts sooner. When the question is whether something is cancer, that interval matters.
What are Dr. Ilyas's credentials?
Dr. Ghulam Ilyas is an AP/CP board-certified pathologist with fellowship training in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary pathology — a subspecialty focus on the digestive tract, liver, bile ducts, and pancreas rather than general pathology.
How long will my biopsy results take?
Most GI biopsies are reported within a few business days. Complex cases needing additional stains or a second opinion can take longer, and your care team will tell you if that applies to you rather than leaving you waiting.
Will I meet Dr. Ilyas at my visit?
Usually not — pathologists work with your tissue rather than seeing patients directly. Your gastroenterologist discusses the pathology report with you and explains what it means for your treatment.