Novel methods of multiparametric tissue diagnostics

In recent years, various methods of multiparametric tissue diagnostics have been developed that allow a detailed molecular, cellular, and architectural characterization of the microenvironment of solid tumors. Fluorescence-based methods such as tyramide signal amplification as well as novel mass spectrometric techniques like imaging mass cytometry enable the simultaneous analysis of a large number of protein markers in a tissue section. Cyclic immunostaining and DNA barcoding approaches can theoretically even analyze unlimited targets. These methods provide fascinating insights into the complexity of tumor biology but also raise challenges regarding sampling, data analysis and clinical validation.