As the treatment for solid cancers, and particularly lung cancer, verges ever further towards therapies requiring comprehensive molecular testing, the classical role of the pathologist is evolving. Here, Keith Kerr, BSc, MB, ChB, FRCPath, FRCPE, of the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK, gives his insight on this development from the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) 2019 Annual Conference in Dublin, Ireland.