Vall d'Hebron Talks by VHIR 'Integrated Pathology Concept in Thoracic Oncology'

Speaker: Dr. Paul Hofman, Director of the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) RespirERA - Professor of Pathology at the University Côte d’Azur, Nice - France.

Thoracic pathology has changed dramatically in recent years. Although the microscopic assessment of tissues and cells is and will remain the mainstay of lung cancer diagnosis, molecular profiling has become equally relevant. Thus, to stay abreast of the evolving landscape of today's anatomic pathology, modern thoracic pathologists must be able to master the intricate world of predictive molecular pathology using both tissue and liquid biopsies. To this aim, thoracic pathologists have had to acquire additional knowledge to bridge the gap between clinicians and molecular biologists. This new role is particularly important, as cases are now collegially discussed in molecular tumor boards (MTBs). Moreover, as opposed to « traditional » pathologists, « modern » pathologists have also adamantly embraced innovation while keeping a constant eye on tradition. Current pathology practice is being shaped by the increasing complexity of modern medicine and major technological advances. So,  in the “next-generation sequencing era” the thoracic pathologist has become the clinician responsible for the integration and interpretation of morphologic and molecular information and for the delivery of critical answers to lung cancer diagnostic, prognostic and predictive queries, acquiring a prominent position in the personalized medicine scenario, especially in lung cancer care.
The presentation attemps to demonstrate the evolutionary role of thoracic pathologists for better treatment decision making, but integrating new tools such as NGS in both tissue and liquid biopsie, as well as the new coming revolution of computational digital pathology in lung cancer.

Host: Dr. Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras, Head of group Translational Molecular Pathology, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR).