Cancer & Molecular Diagnostics
Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow and multiply in an uncontrolled manner. Cancers can arise in almost any organ or tissue and may differ significantly in their histological appearance, molecular characteristics, treatment response, and prognosis.
Laboratory investigations play an important role throughout the cancer-care pathway — from initial evaluation and diagnosis to tumor classification, molecular profiling, treatment selection, hereditary cancer assessment, and disease monitoring.
Modern cancer diagnostics increasingly combine histopathology, immunohistochemistry, cytology, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular genetic testing to provide a more complete understanding of a patient's disease. At National Path Lab (NPL), specialized laboratory investigations are available to support the evaluation, classification, and molecular characterization of selected cancers and hematological malignancies.
Conditions (10)
About Cancer & Molecular Diagnostics
Testing Areas Covered on This Page
• Lung Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Ovarian & Endometrial Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Hematological Malignancies
• Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma & Plasma Cell Disorders
• Cancer Molecular Profiling
• Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)
• Hereditary Cancer Risk
• Cancer Biomarker Testing
• Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) & Disease Monitoring
Somatic vs. Germline Genetic Testing — An Important Distinction
Understanding the difference between somatic and germline testing is important throughout cancer diagnostics. Somatic testing looks for genetic alterations acquired by the tumor and helps answer: "What genetic changes are driving this cancer, and could they influence treatment?" Germline testing looks for inherited genetic variants present throughout the body and helps answer: "Does this person have an inherited predisposition to cancer?"
A genetic variant identified in a tumor does not automatically mean it is inherited. Additional germline testing may be required when hereditary cancer is suspected.
Tissue vs. Liquid Biopsy
Cancer molecular testing may sometimes be performed using different specimen types. Tissue-based testing uses tumor tissue obtained through biopsy or surgery for histopathology, IHC, molecular testing, and NGS. Liquid biopsy generally analyzes tumor-derived genetic material circulating in blood, and may be considered when tissue is unavailable, adequate tissue is difficult to obtain, a tumor has evolved during treatment, or monitoring of selected molecular alterations is required. The suitability of liquid biopsy depends on the cancer type, clinical question, and test methodology.
Why Is Cancer Testing Sometimes Done as a Combination?
Cancer diagnosis often requires more than one type of laboratory investigation. For example, a tumor may first be identified by histopathology, further characterized using immunohistochemistry, and then evaluated by molecular testing to identify clinically relevant genetic alterations. Similarly, hematological malignancies may require a combination of morphology, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, FISH, and molecular testing.
Each test provides different information. A larger test panel is not automatically better. Testing should be selected according to the specific clinical question, tumor type, specimen, and treatment decision — as determined by your treating oncologist.
What Specimen Is Required for Cancer Testing?
The required specimen depends on the investigation. Possible specimens include tissue biopsy, surgical specimen, bone marrow, peripheral blood, plasma, cytology specimen, or other validated clinical specimens. The correct specimen and adequate sample quality are important for reliable cancer testing — for molecular testing in particular, tumor content, sample quality, and specimen preservation can significantly affect test performance.
Does Cancer Molecular Testing Require Fasting?
Most tumor molecular tests, histopathology, IHC, and genetic tests do not require fasting. However, some blood-based investigations ordered alongside cancer testing may have specific preparation requirements. Please follow the instructions provided by your doctor or NPL.
A Note on This Content • Symptoms listed throughout this document are general warning signs that warrant medical evaluation — they are not diagnostic criteria, and having one or more of these symptoms does not mean a person has cancer. • Most listed symptoms have far more common, non-cancerous explanations. The purpose of listing them is to encourage timely medical evaluation, not to cause alarm. • This content should never be used by a patient or family member to self-diagnose, delay seeking care, or replace consultation with a qualified oncologist. |
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