title: Tumors in the lung--morphologic features and the challenge of integrating biomarker signatures into diagnostics.
abstract: In the last decade, pathologic approaches concerning diagnosis and treatment of lung carcinomas have increasingly moved towards the implementation of molecular methods into the process of decision. In this study, an overview is given referring to the variety of tumors in the lung including common primary lung neoplasms and secondary tumors, and a modus operandi is presented which integrates immunology as well as molecular pathology within the process of finding correct diagnoses. Besides the conventional and approved methods and techniques leading to appropriate treatment including so-called targeted therapies, pathologist's work meanwhile depends on both histologic and molecular results. Since molecular techniques have increasingly entered the field of routine diagnostics, challenges and possibilities have changed and are still rapidly developing. The proceeding integration of molecular-biologic investigations into the process of diagnosing has changed the nature of diagnostics and will continuously grow in the near future. Only by obtaining a proper diagnosis, the optimal treatment of a patient can be assured, whereupon the knowledge of gene mutations and/or altered protein expression is crucial. By identifying those novel molecular target structures, the therapeutic spectrum is tremendously enlarged and will finally improve the patient's prognosis by personalized targeted therapies.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Research Center Borstel, Germany. evollmer@fz-borstel.de
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Fl
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stellmacher
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kähler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galle
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goldmann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor