Diagnostic histopathology
|
The department is a quaternary referral centre for outside pathology review for complex diagnostic cases. Indeed, outside referrals account for 20% of the case mix. Our staff pathologists have acquired great expertise and experience in using morphology allied with conventional immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, flow cytometry and molecular characterisation to give a comprehensive opinion in all tumour streams. The department is the largest reference centre for HER2 testing in the state.
|
Research histopathology
|
Underpinned by depth of understanding using conventional pathology outlined above, the department has a wealth of experience in assessing the pattern and level of expression in of novel biomarkers in normal and neoplastic tissues. This enables hypotheses based on observations made under the microscope to be tested in the laboratory. Platforms used include tissue microarrays and whole tissue sections with immunohistochemistry and/or in situ hybridization. Validation of biomarker tools such as antibodies is a particular forte.
|
Diagnostic molecular pathology laboratory
|
The department has NATA accredited molecular pathology laboratories that performs germline mutation testing using up-to-date techniques on behalf of the Victorian and Tasmanian states of Australia and all of New Zealand. These include BRCA1, BRCA2 (including founder various mutations), the mismatch repair genes involved in HNPCC, MEN etc. We also offer a number of somatic mutation tests for diagnostic purposes such as KIT, EGFR, JAK2, HER2, BRAF, a broad suite of haematological translocations and rearrangements etc many of which are required for government drug approval.
|
In-house research and test development laboratory
|
The genomic era has resulted in a paradigm shift in laboratory medicine such that many tumours require molecular characterisation for accurate prognostic assessment and appropriate treatment stratification. Our in-house laboratory oversees the platform selection, the design, introduction and accreditation of such new tests enabling a seamless transition of R&D to a NATA endorsed clinical laboratory test. This algorithm will be followed in time such that a fuller molecular characterisation will be critical for the success of anti-cancer therapies. This laboratory prides itself on being on the cutting edge of the introduction of novel testing technologies and the transfer of such tests into the clinical environment.
|
Clinical trials
|
Through our collaborations we have constructed tissue microarrays of tumours from patients’ enrolled on randomised neoadjuvant breast cancer clinical trials. Material is available from both pre- and post treatments enabling comparison within and between arms. Clinical and biological response data is also available enabling predictive markers to be tested for both hormonal and chemotherapeutic regimens (see below). New clinical trials are continually being designed based on our findings but a particular trial can be designed, performed and tissue microarrays generated based on data from biomarker studies from other sources.
|
