Molecular Diagnostics of Solid Tumors

The molecular diagnostics of colorectal cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), melanomas and pulmonary adenocarcinoma were discussed. This was with respect to the genes/pathways involved, the clinical and treatment implications of the results, and molecular diagnostic strategies and techniques. The molecular diagnosis of Lynch syndrome was also discussed.

Lecture Presenter
Wade Samowitz, MD
Wade Samowitz, MD
Medical Director, Solid Tumor Molecular Diagnostics and Histology , ARUP Laboratories
Staff Pathologist, Anatomic Pathology, ARUP Laboratories
Professor of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine

Dr. Samowitz is a medical director of solid tumor molecular diagnostics and histology, and a staff pathologist for the Anatomic Pathology Division at ARUP, as well as a professor of pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He received his MD from SUNY Downstate, and completed residency training in anatomic pathology at the University of Chicago and fellowships in gastrointestinal pathology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Specializing in gastrointestinal pathology and the molecular genetics of colorectal cancer, Dr. Samowitz is the medical director for numerous molecular tests in gastrointestinal cancer and other tumors, including microsatellite instability by IHC and PCR, mutational testing for BRAF, PIK3CA, and NRAS, evaluation for molar pregnancy, and specimen identification.

Objectives

After this presentation, participants will be able to:

Learn the genes and pathways relevant to carcinogenesis and treatment of colorectal cancer, GISTs, melanomas and pulmonary adenocarcinomas.
Learn the molecular diagnostic approach to Lynch syndrome and the special case of bi-allelic mismatch repair gene mutations.