Researchers Say It’s Time to Reclassify Cancerous Tumors Based on Their Molecular Makeup; New System Suggested Would Affect Pathologists’
More than 12 cancer types were studied in this project, which is a part of The Cancer Genome Atlas
New molecular and genetic knowledge is making it possible for researchers to propose a new system for classifying tumors. Upon implementation, such a system will give oncologists and pathologists, and clinical laboratory professionals a new tool to improve how they diagnose and treat cancer patients.
Tumor categories—defined by cell types instead of where they are found in the body—may lead to more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatments for one in 10 patients, according to the recent study. It was summarized in a Medline Plus Health News By Date story posted on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website. (more…)
