Biomolecular and clinical practice in malignant pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer: what thoracic surgeons should know.

Today, molecular-profile-directed therapy is a guiding principle of modern thoracic oncology. The knowledge of new biomolecular technology applied to the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of lung cancer and mesothelioma should be part of the 21st century thoracic surgeons' professional competence. The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) Biology Club aims at providing a comprehensive insight into the basic biology of the diseases we are treating. During the 2013 ESTS Annual Meeting, different experts of the field presented the current knowledge about diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in malignant pleural mesothelioma including new perspectives as well as the role and potential application of microRNA and genomic sequencing for lung cancer, which are summarized in the present article.