Breast pathology: beyond morphology

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and pathologists have evolved a system of classification that reflects this heterogeneity as well as provide prognostic and predictive information to manage patients. Professor Azzopardi's contribution to understanding and classifying breast disease is significant and reflected by the many articles in this issue. Nonetheless, there are limitations to the morphologic classification and new molecular methods promise to refine the biological understanding as well as provide better biomarkers for prognostication and targets for the development of novel therapeutics. The degree to which the new methods add value to the morphology remains to be seen, but there is hope that a symbiosis between morphology and molecular techniques will advance traditional histopathology and improve the care of patients with breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast, Cancer, Molecular pathology