From tissue to molecular phenotyping: Pre-analytical requirements

Lung cancer is a leading cause of tumor–related death worldwide through years. Efforts to individualize lung cancer therapy to improve prognosis nowadays employ molecular analyses besides routine histopathological examination of tissue samples. In general, tissues are provided by bronchoscopy, CT-guided procedures or surgery. The sequence of tissue removal, storage, and processing has a considerable impact on the success and reliability of subsequent molecular biological analyses and will supposedly also influence therapeutic decisions. There is still an ongoing need for updated statements about the minimal requirements of tissue sampling for molecular diagnosis at international level and for certified/accredited quality control programs of the sampling procedures. Several of these issues may have to be adjusted to the individual local conditions. We will present several aspects of experiences gained in Thoraxklinik at the University Hospital of Heidelberg (TK-HD) with pre-analytical tissue requirements.