Genetic alterations have been identified in many disease processes, including a variety of neoplasms. As more of these alterations are being discovered, their significance in some diseases remains obscure, while they have become diagnostic genetic signatures for others. In addition, increasingly growing numbers of these alterations are now the subject of targeted therapies. They can also provide significant prognostic and predictive information, further blurring the boundaries between diagnosis and treatment, as well as basic and clinical sciences. Of paramount importance are the developments in our understanding of genetic aspects of disease and the explosion of knowledge in molecular biology. The latter has been translated into clinical application in the form of molecular diagnostics, involving high technology testing. Altogether, we have a better understanding of how such alterations operate in the process of oncogenesis, which in turn helps us to better diagnose and treat neoplasms based on these alterations. O⁶-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene methylation status in glioblastoma and response to alkylating agents, c-kit mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and ALK gene rearrangements in ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, mutations of tumor suppressor genes, and gefitinib targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in nonsmall cell lung cancer are examples of how genetic alterations, identified by molecular diagnostic testing, can impact all aspects of neoplasia, from oncogenesis to treatment.

As such, we are particularly interested in manuscripts that report technical, basic, and clinical research, molecular biology, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of neoplasia, and clinical trials involving these topics, as well as review papers on any of these subjects. The topics are not limited to a particular organ, system, or type of neoplasia; however, the main purpose is to compile an issue composed of manuscripts that emphasize the molecular markers in such aspects of neoplasia in an attempt to provide the reader with an up-to-date source of current research on the state of molecular markers.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Molecular diagnostic techniques
• Oncogenesis
• Diagnostic markers of cancer
• Prognostic and predictive markers of cancer
• Molecularly targeted therapies and drug discovery
• Personalized medicine and molecular markers