Onkológia 3/2006

NEW „MARKERS AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS“ – THE SURGICAL PATHOLOGIST‘S VIEW

Diagnostics of malignant tumours is a process requiring a multidisciplinary approach. The key step in the diagnostic algorithm is pathomorphological examination (biopsy) and its correlation with the other examined parameters of tumour proliferation. using these data, the exact typing, classification and staging of the lesion is of great importance. This is the only way how the clinician can obtain information necessary for choosing further therapeutic strategies, while each of the provided information contains certain prognostic value. In molecular genetic research new facts are appearing that help better understand the pathomorphological changes and classify them in a novel way. This new knowledge showing correlation to clinical course and histopathology is to be assigned to a classification scheme. The new classifications reflect these findings and allow for the use a unified terminology in diagnosis and treatment of tumours. It is also permitting future comparisons among studies as well as exact determinations of risk profiles.

Keywords: biopsy, prognostic a predictive markers.