Early NGS diagnostics in the EU and Slovakia
Comprehensive molecular‑pathologic diagnostics is transforming oncology from a uniform approach to tailored treatment. Today, the pathologist not only confirms the diagnosis under the microscope, but also searches for molecular features on the basis of which the oncologist chooses the most effective therapy. The lecture shows the real state of practice in Slovakia—progress, but also the system’s limits. Cancer treatment still cannot begin without confirmation of the diagnosis by a pathologist, with the basic parameters based on internationally recognized WHO guidelines. However, comprehensive molecular profiling is being added to traditional procedures: a combination of immunohistochemistry and genetic methods searches for predictive biomarkers, i.e., indicators by which we can estimate the effect of targeted therapy or immunotherapy. This approach replaces the once uniform treatment of all patients with the same tumor type, for example in lung cancer, with an individualized strategy. It is guided by internationally accepted recommendations and guidelines.From the microscope to molecules
