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Besides histological classification of lung cancers, molecular biological examination of tumors is part of modern diagnostics of lung cancers, and cancer therapies are based on molecular biological diagnosis. Current laboratory technique enables the examination of many mutations as part of standard routine diagnosis, necessitating functional multidisciplinary collaboration, with the pathologist playing a central role in the handling of the specimens. In the future, especially pathologists, pulmonary specialists and oncologists are expected to need a good command of molecular biological data on lung cancer, but basic knowledge will be required also from other physicians working with lung cancer patients.

Cancer diseases are treated with targeted drugs utilizing several distinct mechanisms of action. The decision about targeted therapy will result from multiprofessional collaboration based on a representative biopsy, precise morphological diagnosis, elucidation of the extent of the disease and reliable methods of molecular analysis. Changes at the molecular level are determined by immunohistochemical stainings indicating the expression of proteins and by cytogenetic and molecular genetic tests. When successful, the clinical decision provides the cancer patient with maximally effective therapy and guarantees that the patient will not be needlessly exposed to ineffective treatment involving side effects.