Those are recommendations from the CAP. You can experiment and then validate longer fixation times. Several papers have come out over the past two years demonstrating little, if any, impact on immunoreactivity for ER, PR, and HER2 when breast tissue has been fixed longer than 72 hours. In my opinion, minimizing cold ischemic time, making sure the tissue does not dry out, and taking "thin" slices of tissue (2-3 mm) for fixation and processing are probably more important than time in formalin. Hopefully, ASCO and CAP will change their recommendations based on these studies.
Richard Richard W. Cartun, MS, PhD Director, Histology & Immunopathology Director, Biospecimen Collection Programs Assistant Director, Anatomic Pathology Hartford Hospital 80 Seymour Street Hartford, CT 06102 (860) 545-1596 Office (860) 545-2204 Fax >>> Gale Limron <ga...@unionhospital.org> 2/3/2012 10:24 AM >>> I would like to know what other hospitals are doing with breast specimens that are resected on Friday and are in formalin longer than the maximum number of hours that CAP allows for ER/PR and HER2/neu testing. We are running into this problem since we don't currently work Saturday hours. Thank you! Gale Limron CT,HT (ASCP) Histology Supervisor Union Hospital 659 Boulevard Dover, Ohio 44622 330-343-3311 ext 2562 This e-mail is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. Dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, is prohibited. If you received this message in error, please delete without copying and kindly e-mail a reply to inform us of the mistake in delivery. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
