[Mass spectrometry-applications in pathology]

Currently, more complex and extensive diagnostic pathology work-up of sometimes only limited sample material is necessary to ensure optimal patient treatment. This often includes genomic analyses. However, dynamic changes within an organism or tumor can be better reflected at the protein level. Therefore, proteomic technologies would seem to be the solution.

To evaluate the application of different proteomic techniques to analyze body fluids and tissue samples with regards to implementation in diagnostics.

All studies utilized mass spectrometry-based methods in order to achieve differentiation of a number of different patient groups in various diseases.

Whereas classical proteomic methods are particularly suitable for analyzing serum samples in order to diagnose bladder cancer or chronic hepatitis C, tissue analyses would require prior tissue lyses, thus erasing possible information to be obtained from histology. Imaging mass spectrometry offers a solution as it allows for the analysis of an intact tissue section. Possible applications and the added benefit of this method could be shown using various examples of tumors (prostate cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, cervical cancer, and different types of adenocarcinomas).

Mass spectrometry-based technologies allow diagnostic confirmation with high sensitivity and specificity. In comparison to routine diagnostic approaches, results can be achieved faster, using less sample material, and with comparable accuracy.