Current concepts of metastasis classification

New findings of molecular pathology provide better insight in the process o f metastasis. Single findings in few patients are, however, useful in being taken as parameters which signalize the individual risk of a metastasis no t detectable by clinical methods. In addition they cannot be used as progno stic factors. On the other hand, there are important data which indicate a prognostic significance of so called isolated tumour cells, which can be de tected by cytologocal or molecular methods. Current and proposed classifica tions of metastasis reflect the necessity, to better describe the situation of an individual patient to design an optimal therapy Such more exact clas sifications will form the basis of a more differentiated therapy and will g ive more exact data to estimate prognosis.