[Genetic tests for molecular markers of cancer]

Based on recent advancements in biotechnology and molecular oncology, genetic tests for molecular markers have been widely used for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring in patients with hematological malignancies. However, incorporation of such tests has been limited in the care of patients with non-hematopoietic malignancies. The reasons for this include difficulty in sampling of the tumor tissue, and a lack of evidence for cost-effectiveness in the test utilization. A practical approach is the use of bodily fluids, such as blood, sputum, urine and feces, as specimens for early detection and monitoring of tumor-derived nucleic acid sequences. The prospect has been raised for development of tests for individualized medicine based on genetic information such as prediction of responsiveness to chemotherapeutic agents for selection of treatment, which will be promoted by gene expression profiling using DNA microarray.