Molecular Pathology

Procedure Description:

Spectrum Medical Group's Pathology Division provides state-of-the-art clinical molecular testing for leukemia, lymphoma, solid tumors, cancer predisposition, and a number of hematologic mutations associated with disease. Molecular pathology testing provides initial diagnostic information, information about any residual disease after therapy, and assessment of disease risk in inherited conditions. Tests are based on the latest research-based knowledge.

Molecular pathology services include PCR-based assays for Factor V, prothrombin and methyltetrahydrofolate-reductase gene mutations in hypercoaguable patients; PCR-based assays for hereditary hemochromatosis gene mutations and apoliprotein A allele determination and fluorescent-in-situ-hybridization(FISH) for detection of HER2/neu gene amplification in breast cancer.

Assays in the process of validation for addition to test menu include microsatellite instability in hereditary colon cancer and detection of numerous fusion proteins associated with acute and chronic leukemias (bcr-abl in chronic myelogenous leukemia).

Karen Rasmussen, PhD, FACMG is the Pathology Division's Director of Molecular Pathology.  She brings substantial depth to the division in molecular genetics, in particular the integration of molecular genetics with traditional diagnostic tissue pathology and the interpretation of molecular pathology testing.  She serves as a resource to the division's pathologists and their clinicians in helping to keep Spectrum at the forefront of molecular diagnostics. 

Molecular testing is performed at NorDx Laboratories.