Impact of Preanalytical Factors on the Measurement of Tumor Tissue Biomarkers Using Immunohistochemistry

Overview

Journal J Histochem Cytochem

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 2021 Mar 1

PMID 33641490

Citations 3

Authors

Aditi Bagchi

Zachary Madaj

Kelly B Engel

Ping Guan

Daniel C Rohrer

Dana R Valley

Emily Wolfrum

Kristin Feenstra

Nancy Roche

Galen Hostetter

Helen M Moore

Scott D Jewell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is commonplace in clinical and research laboratories. However, reports suggest that IHC results can be compromised by biospecimen preanalytical factors. The National Cancer Institute's Biospecimen Preanalytical Variables Program conducted a systematic study to examine the potential effects of delay to fixation (DTF) and time in fixative (TIF) on IHC using 24 cancer biomarkers. Differences in IHC staining, relative to controls with a DTF of 1 hr, were observed in FFPE kidney tumor specimens after a DTF of ≥2 hr. Reductions in H-score and/or staining intensity were observed for c-MET, p53, PAX2, PAX8, pAKT, and survivin, whereas increases were observed for RCC1, EGFR, and CD10. Prolonged TIF of 72 hr resulted in significantly reduced H-scores of CD44 and c-Met in kidney tumor specimens, compared with controls with 12-hr TIF. An elevated probability of altered staining intensity due to DTF was observed for nine antigens, whereas for prolonged TIF an elevated probability was observed for one antigen. Results reported here and elsewhere across tumor types and antigens support limiting DTF to ≤1 hr when possible and fixing tissues in formalin for 12-24 hr to avoid confounding effects of these preanalytical factors on IHC.

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