Molecular pathologic diagnosis of lung cancer requires basic knowledge also from clinicians]

Besides histological classification of lung cancers, molecular biological examination of tumors is part of modern diagnostics of lung cancers, and cancer therapies are based on molecular biological diagnosis. Current laboratory technique enables the examination of many mutations as part of standard routine diagnosis, necessitating functional multidisciplinary collaboration, with the pathologist playing a central role in the handling of the specimens. In the future, especially pathologists, pulmonary specialists and oncologists are expected to need a good command of molecular biological data on lung cancer, but basic knowledge will be required also from other physicians working with lung cancer patients.