What Role Do Biomarkers and Genetic Testing Play in Pathology Reports?
Biomarkers and genetic testing are becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Biomarkers are biological molecules found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that are indicative of a normal or abnormal process, or a condition or disease. In cancer, biomarkers can help predict how aggressive a cancer might be, or how well it might respond to certain treatments.
Genetic testing can identify specific mutations in cancer cells that might be targeted with specific therapies. For instance, the presence of the HER2/neu gene in breast cancer may indicate that the patient could benefit from targeted therapies like trastuzumab. Pathology reports now often include information from these tests to guide treatment decisions.
