title: Molecular Pathology and Personalized Medicine: The Dawn of a New Era in Companion Diagnostics-Practical Considerations about Companion Diagnostics for Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer.
abstract: Companion diagnostics (CDx) have become a major tool in molecular pathology and assist in therapy decisions in an increasing number of various cancers. Particularly, the developments in lung cancer have been most impressing in the last decade and consequently lung cancer mutation testing and molecular profiling has become a major business of diagnostic laboratories. However, it has become difficult to decide which biomarkers are currently relevant for therapy decisions, as many of the new biomarkers are not yet approved as therapy targets, remain in the status of clinical studies, or still have not left the experimental phase. The current review is focussed on those markers that do have current therapy implications, practical implications arising from the respective companion diagnostics, and thus is focused on daily practice.
authors.affiliation: Lungclinic Merheim, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Lung Clinic Cologne, Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Cologne Merheim Hospital, Faculty of Health/School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimerstrasse 200, 51109 Köln, Germany. ploenest@kliniken-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Plönes
authors.affiliation: Lungclinic Merheim, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Lung Clinic Cologne, Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Cologne Merheim Hospital, Faculty of Health/School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimerstrasse 200, 51109 Köln, Germany. engelriedelq@kliniken-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Walburga
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Engel-Riedel
authors.affiliation: Lungclinic Merheim, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Lung Clinic Cologne, Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Cologne Merheim Hospital, Faculty of Health/School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimerstrasse 200, 51109 Köln, Germany. stoelbene@kliniken-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoelben
authors.affiliation: Clinics for Internal Medicine Holweide, Hospital of Cologne, Neufelder Str. 34, 51067 Köln, Germany. limmrothc@kliniken-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Limmroth
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pathology, Hospital of Cologne, Private University Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimerstrasse 200, 51109 Köln, Germany. schildgeno@kliniken-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schildgen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pathology, Hospital of Cologne, Private University Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimerstrasse 200, 51109 Köln, Germany. schildgenv@kliniken-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schildgen
keywords: ALK; EGFR; FISH; KRAS; companion diagnostics; lung cancer