Cancer Diagnosis Program | Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch

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Minimum formalin fixation time for consistent estrogen receptor immunohistochemical staining of invasive breast carcinoma.

Author(s): Goldstein NS, Ferkowicz M, Odish E, Mani A, Hastah F

Publication: Am J Clin Pathol, 2003, Vol. 120, Page 86-92

PubMed ID: 12866377 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The aim of this study was to determine the duration thresholds of fixation required for accurate estrogen receptor (ER) immunohistochemistry of biopsy and surgically resected specimens. The author specified fixation duration is does not include an additional 90 min fixation period in 20% formalin in a tissue processor.

   Summary of Findings:

   The intensity and distribution of ER immunostaining was significantly lower in surgically resected breast specimens fixed for 3 or 6 h compared to 8 h to 7 d, which produced equivalent results although a longer antigen retrieval regime was required for specimens fixed for 2 or 7 d. A higher incidence of discordance in ER immunostaining was observed among biopsy specimens and case-matched surgically resected specimens, when biopsy specimens were fixed for a shorter duration (1.2 h versus 6.3 h).

   Biospecimens

   • Tissue - Breast

   Preservative Types

   • Formalin

   Diagnoses:

   • Neoplastic - Carcinoma

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Protein	Immunohistochemistry

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Biospecimen Preservation	Time in fixative	0.8-9.7 h (biopsy specimens) 3 h 6 h 8 h 12 h 1 d 2 d 7 d
   Analyte Extraction and Purification	Antigen retrieval	25 min in 95 degrees C EDTA buffer 40 min in 95 degrees C EDTA buffer
   Biospecimen Acquisition	Method of tissue acquisition	Biopsy Surgical resection

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