title: Molecular pathology.
abstract: Molecular pathology as applied to neoplasia is a rapidly expanding component of the discipline of pathology that uses molecular biology tools in addition to conventional morphologic, immunohistochemical and chemical analyses of abnormalities in tissues and cells to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of tumors, establish their diagnosis, and contribute to prognostication and therapeutic decisions for cancer patient care. Biomarkers are a fundamental component of personalized cancer care, and the discipline of molecular pathology therefore contributes throughout the continuum from biomarker research to use in standard-of-care personalized cancer therapy. This brief review addresses some of the specific roles of molecular pathology in that continuum.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, Unit 085, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. shamilto@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Stanley R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hamilton
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor