We use internal control blocks that we prepare from extra tumor tissue that we process after the case has been signed out. However, this is getting more and more difficult for us since most breast tumors are smaller now when detected (and that's a good thing!) which results in the entire tumor being submitted for diagnosis. I like to select a control case where we have multiple blocks (>10), and where the tumor shows variable (weak, moderate, and strong) immunoreactivity for both ER and PR. It's also beneficial when your control tissue contains benign breast epithelium which can serve as both a positive and negative control. In my experience, most breast biopsy specimens show internal positive controls for ER and PR which is especially helpful when the tumor shows a "Triple-Negative" immunoprofile. After all, the best positive control is an internal positive control! When I look at my positive controls on a daily basis, I am looking for reproducibility in the immunoreactivity in the tumor and the benign epithelium.
Richard Richard W. Cartun, MS, PhD Director, Histology & The Martin M. Berman, MD Immunopathology/Morphologic Proteomics Laboratory Director, Biospecimen Collection Programs Assistant Director, Anatomic Pathology Hartford Hospital 80 Seymour Street Hartford, CT 06102 (860) 972-1596 (Office) (860) 545-2204 (Fax) richard.car...@hhchealth.org -----Original Message----- From: Moe, Barbi A via Histonet [mailto:histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2019 1:44 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] ER/PR controls EXTERNAL email from Outside HHC! Do NOT open attachments or click links from unknown senders. For anyone making in-house ER/PR controls could you comment on what tissue you have in your control block -- one piece of positive tumor regardless of reactivity strength 1+, 2+, 3+ (weak, medium, strong) or multiple pieces to represent each level of reactivity? Also, does anyone order commercially their ER/PR controls to achieve this level of representation in their control block? Any thoughts are appreciated - thank you. Barb Moe Gundersen Health System La Crosse WI ba...@gundersenhealth.org _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.utsouthwestern.edu_mailman_listinfo_histonet&d=DwICAg&c=e_HtEeZEQXP5NUOb33qoTj0AVvRFBS9_rhBTQcfkWoA&r=eCMS5E4UqfGKTlPknIMjMlCkk-KGKHflslRsFz3l5JE&m=Y9uEoty_f-4ICuNypilMcFFogkMgeRwkinFP21id2IE&s=ZE2AOf2Q664rWxQL1OQKmR6u6WuZ8xEv0orVhTW8NJw&e= Reminder: This e-mail and any attachments are subject to the current HHC email retention policies. Please save or store appropriately in accordance with policy. This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message, including any attachments. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
