Molecular staging of gynecological cancer: What is the future?
The purpose of cancer staging is to classify cancers into prognostic groups and to allow for comparison of treatment results and survival between patients and institutions. Staging for gynecologic cancers is based on extent of disease and metastasis, which was historically determined by physical examination and is now based on surgical and histologic examination of tumor specimens. Although the extent of disease is currently considered the most important predictor of recurrence and survival, current staging does not include molecular features that are associated with tumor aggressiveness, response to therapy, and prognosis. This review focuses on genomic and proteomic features of gynecologic cancers and the future of biomarkers in staging classification.
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. Electronic address: binderp@wudosis.wustl.edu.
Pratibha S
PS
Binder
Department of Pathology, Hospital de Sant Pau, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Jaime
J
Prat
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
David G
DG
Mutch
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
biomarker; gynecologic cancer; molecular classification; prognosis; staging