Molecular pathology in the cancer clinic - where are we now and where are we headed?

Guillen, A, Smallwood, K and Killick, DR ORCID: 0000-0002-8787-7651 (2021) Molecular pathology in the cancer clinic - where are we now and where are we headed? JOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, 62 (7). pp. 507-520.

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13330

Abstract

Molecular pathology is a developing sub-microscopic discipline of pathology that studies the effects of molecular variations and mutations on disease processes. The ultimate goal of molecular pathology in cancer is to predict risk, facilitate diagnosis and improve prognostication based on a complete understanding of the biological impact of specific molecular variations, mutations and dysregulations. This knowledge will provide the basis for customised cancer treatment, so-called precision medicine. Rapid developments in genomics have placed this field at the forefront of clinical molecular pathology and there are already a number of well-established genetic tests available for clinical use including PCR of antigen receptor rearrangement and KIT mutational analysis. Moving beyond tests assessing a single gene, there are significant research efforts utilising genomics to predict cancer risk, forecast aggressive behaviour and identify druggable mutations and therapeutic biomarkers. Researchers are also investigating the use of circulating cells and nucleic acid for clinically useful low morbidity genomic assessments. If we are to realise the full potential of molecular pathology and precision medicine there are a number of challenges to overcome. These include developing our understanding of the underlying biology (in particular intra-tumoural heterogeneity), methodological standardisation of assays, provision of adequate infrastructure and production of novel therapeutics backed by high-quality clinical data supporting the precision medicine approach. The era of molecular pathology holds the potential to revolutionise veterinary cancer care, but its impact on clinical practice will depend upon the extent to which the inherent challenges can be overcome.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals, Neoplasms, Genomics, Mutation, Pathology, Molecular, Precision Medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	08 Jun 2021 15:43
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 22:35
DOI:	10.1111/jsap.13330
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13330
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3125609