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World J Surg Proced. Apr 28, 2012; 2(2): 5-15
Published online Apr 28, 2012. doi: 10.5412/wjsp.v2.i2.5
Molecular biology techniques for the surgeon
Gopal Kowdley, Subramanya Srikantan, Kotb Abdelmohsen, Myriam Gorospe, Javeed Khan
Gopal Kowdley, Javeed Khan, Department of Surgery, St Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21229, United States
Gopal Kowdley, Subramanya Srikantan, Kotb Abdelmohsen, Myriam Gorospe, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to this review.
Supported by The National Institute on Aging-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health
Correspondence to: Gopal Kowdley, MD, PhD, General Surgeon, Associate Program Director, Department of Surgery, St Agnes Hospital, 900 S. Caton Ave, Baltimore, MD 21229, United States. gkowdley@gmail.com
Telephone: +1-443-9283932 Fax:+1-410-9514007
Received: October 10, 2011
Revised: March 20, 2012
Accepted: March 27, 2012
Published online: April 28, 2012
Abstract

New technologies are constantly being introduced into the medical and surgical fields. These technologies come in the form of newer medicines, imaging methods and prognostic tools, among others, and allow clinicians to make more rational and informed decisions on the care of their patients. Many of these technologies utilize advanced techniques which are at the forefront of many research fields and represent a transition of bench advances into the clinical realm. This review will highlight four technologies that are at the forefront in the treatment of oncology patients treated by surgeons on a daily basis. Circulating tumor cells, microarray analysis, proteomic studies and rapid sequencing technologies will be highlighted. These technologies will be reviewed and their potential use in the care of surgical patients will be discussed.

Keywords: Methods; Molecular diagnostic techniques; Medical oncology; General surgery MT