Molecular Testing in Solid Tumors: Best Practices from the Molecular Pathology and Precision Medicine Study Group of the Italian Society of Pathology (PMMP/SIAPeC)

Pathologica. 2025 May 9;117(2(Suppl.1)):S1-S4. doi: 10.32074/1591-951X-1214.

Abstract

The Italian Society of Pathology's Molecular Pathology and Precision Medicine Study Group (PMMP/SIAPeC) has released a three-part set of best practice guidelines to stan-dardize and enhance molecular testing in solid tumors. Part I focuses on the pre-analytical phase, emphasizing proper tissue handling and quality control to preserve nucleic acid integrity. Part II addresses the analytical phase, outlining workflows for next-generation sequencing (NGS), from extraction to variant interpretation, with recommendations on choice of platform, gene panels, and bioinformatics. Part III covers the post-analytical phase, offering guidance on structured, clinically meaningful reporting to support thera-peutic decisions, including standards for both tissue and liquid biopsies. Together, these documents aim to harmonize molecular diagnostics, ensuring reliable, high-quality results that support precision oncology.

Keywords: Pathology; diagnostics; molecular; precision medicine; recommendations; standardization.

Publication types

  • Practice Guideline

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor* / genetics
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / standards
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques* / methods
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques* / standards
  • Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Pathology, Molecular* / methods
  • Pathology, Molecular* / standards
  • Precision Medicine* / methods
  • Precision Medicine* / standards
  • Societies, Medical

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor