We have different urologists who submit specimens to us. The majority give
us the six separate specimens. One does only two specimens, with the three
sources submitted from one side in one container.  We only do one deeper per
block. The keratin 903 requests are cut at the time of request VERY
CAREFULLY so as not to lose any further tissue. (We cut it one the same
microtome it was originally cut on so that  there is no loss of tissue due
to re-trim into the block). We do about three cases a day (sometimes up to
five). Regards,
Sue O'Brien
Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital
Cape May Court House, NJ  08210

> ----------
> From: 	BAKER.ONALY_R@TAMPA.VA.GOV[SMTP:BAKER.ONALY_R@TAMPA.VA.GOV]
> Sent: 	Friday, August 06, 1999 5:10 PM
> To: 	BAKER.ONALY_R@TAMPA.VA.GOV; HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	PROSTATE BIOPSY PROTOCOL
> 
> THIS IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO PARTICIPATE WITH ALL OF YOU AND THIS IS WHAT I
> WANT TO KNOW. I AM THE HISTOLOGY SUPERVISOR AT THE TAMPA VA HOSPITAL AND
> OF COURSE WE HAVE A VERY LARGE MALE PATIENT POPULATION. IN THE LAST YEAR,
> SINCE THE POPULARITY OF THE PSA TEST HAS INCREASED, THE INFLUX OF "6 PACK"
> PROSTATE NEEDLE BXS HAS EXPLODED. OUR CURRENT CUTTING PROTOCOL IS TO TAKE
> 5 LEVELS AT 3 MICRONS, STAIN L1, L3, & L5 H&E AND SAVE L2 & L4 FOR
> POSSIBLE KERATIN 903 IHC STAINING. THIS REQUIRES 30 SLIDES PER CASE AND
> OUR WORST DAY SO FAR WAS 11 CASES (330 SECTIONS)! THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE
> ACTUALLY DO KERATIN 903 IS VERY LOW AND I AM TRYING TO CONVINCE THE
> PATHOLOGISTS TO AT LEAST ELIMINATE THE UNSTAINED SLIDES AND ONLY DO 3 H&E
> LEVELS. OF COURSE I DO NOT WANT TO DO LESS THAN THE STANDARD OF CARE IN
> PRIVATE HOSPITALS. SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND IF YOU
> ALSO SEE AN INCREASE OF THIS TYPE OF SPECIMEN. DO YOUR PHYSICIANS COLLECT
> THE SPECIMENS IN 2 CONTAINERS WITH APEX, MID, AND BASE FROM LEFT OR RIGHT
> IN EACH OR DO THEY SEND THEM SEPARATELY LIKE OURS AS 6 SPECIMENS? 
>