Dr. Arcila on the Benefits of New Molecular Diagnostic Platforms for the Treatment of Lung Cancer

Maria E. Arcila, MD, acting director, Diagnostic Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the benefits of new molecular diagnostic platforms for the treatment of lung cancer.

As a lung cancer diagnosis is usually a made at a very late stage, the diagnosis is based on small biopsies, Arcila says. The small biopsies make it impossible to do additional testing, making further biopsy needed. Arcila says additional biopsies are risky for a patient.

New molecular diagnostic platforms allow for multiple tests to be done at once, allowing the physician to utilize resources more efficiently.

Arcila says another benefit of the new tests allows physicians to learn more about each patient’s tumor. This additional information will empower physicians to give a more personalized treatment to their patient, Arcila says.

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