Dr. Markman on the Importance of Diagnostic Testing

Maurie Markman, MD, senior vice president for Clinical Affairs, National Director for Medical Oncology, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Eastern Regional Medical Center, explains that diagnostic testing has always been an important step to define tumor stage and toxicity during treatment.

Diagnostic tests have traditionally referred to the location and specific type of the cancer. Testing is now increasingly being used to determine the effectiveness of therapy and very specific settings in which to use specific agents. Diagnostics are progressing from what the pathologist can see under the microscope to very specific molecular test results.