The departure of a pathologist from Newfoundland and Labrador's largest health authority last month may force the province to send breast cancer laboratory samples out of the province for assessment.

Breast cancer pathologist Dr. Nikita Makretsov resigned from the health authority, effective February 14, 2011.

"We are currently recruiting for this position and have entered into negotiations with a new pathologist with a subspecialty in breast pathology," Eastern Health said in an email Monday.

"If the volume of cases cannot be handled in-house, they will be sent to the University Health Network's Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto for review," according to the email.

The health authority said that some laboratory work for eastern Newfoundland breast cancer patients is already being sent out of the province.

"We continue to do [hormone receptor testing] at Eastern Health – mostly to maintain proficiency. However, breast pathology for [hormone receptor tests] are sent out of the province," said an Eastern Health official in an email Tuesday.

It said Makretsov's resignation may mean more work for pathologists in Ontario.

"It should be noted that all cases will continue to be processed at Eastern Health, and only the slides with sample tissue (not the specimen itself) will be sent to Sunnybrook Hospital for examination, if needed."

The health authority said breast cancer patients in eastern Newfoundland, including St. John's, will continue to be examined at Eastern Health by another breast cancer pathologist at the health authority and with some help from the Provincial Director of Pathology and Laboratory Services, Dr. Beverley Carter.

Carter is an anatomical pathologist who specialized in breast cancer pathology.

Carter resigned from Eastern Health in April 2008, following the revelation that some breast cancer patients were given erroneous results for hormone receptor tests.

Carter, who wrote several memos that provided important information at Newfoundland and Labrador's judicial inquiry into flawed hormone receptor testing, did not comment on her resignation.

But at the time, Dr. Nash Denic, the former chief of laboratory medicine with Eastern Health, said stress and criticism arising from the Cameron inquiry led to Carter's decision.

Makretsov was hired after Carter left.

Denic discussed Makretsov's recruitment during the inquiry into hormone receptor testing led by Newfoundland Supreme Court judge Margret Cameron.

"His track record in regards to breast research and interest is very long and of high quality," said Denic at the inquiry.

An Eastern Health official said the authority cannot comment on why Makretsov left.