it is so beautiful in colorado today, there is a light coat of snow on
the ground the snow capped mountains are magnificant...

Meeting name: Colorado Society for Histotechnolgy Annual Spring
Symposium

Date (one day only): Saturday, April 27th, 2002

Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Location:
Children's Hospital  1056 E. 19th Avenue  Denver, CO 80218

Contact:
John McGinley  (303) 239-3464  Email: mcginleyj@amc.org

Colorado Society for Histotechnology Annual Spring Symposium April 27,
2002

Program:  Two tracks

                            Classroom A
8:00 am   Quality Control and Standardization of Immunohistochemistry
                Paul Ardi , Cell Marque
  In this workshop, factors involved with immunohistochemistry will be
reviewed.  Participants will then learn how to manipulate these factors
in order to implement quality control procedures. A quality control
procedure will be described with emphasis placed on correct use of
internal control, multitissue control, properly optimized reagents, and
the tissue revival (unmasking) technique.  The role of automation will
also be discussed.  This indepth study of quality control procedures
will then lead towards a discussion of the standardization of
immunohistochemistry.  Finally, an overview of the FDA Final Rules of
Immunohistochemistry will be given.

10:30 am  Basic Concepts of Cancer and Prognostic Factors
                David Tacha, BIOCARE Medical
I will discuss cancer statistics in both men and women and then show a
video called Neoplasia 1: Nomenclature of Benign verses Malignant
States. The film will discuss basic concepts of cancer that include
special stains and immunohistochemistry.  The film will be follow by a
lecture on cancer and prognostic factors. These factors include staging,

histological grading and typing, lymph node status and the use of
prognostic antibodies.  I will use breast cancer as a model.

12:30 pm     continued…. Basic Concepts of Cancer and Prognostic Factors

                    David Tacha, BIOCARE Medical

2:30 pm    A Holistic Approach to Antigen Retrieval
                David Tacha, BIOCARE Medical
Many primary antibodies for immunohisto-chemical procedures require some

kind of antigen retrieval protocol for optimum staining.  The term
“antigen retrieval” generally refers to heating tissue sections in
retrieval buffers to unmask epitopes that are cross- linked by formalin
fixation.  For the past two years, BIOCARE Medical has investigated many

aspects of preserving and protecting epitopes.    These aspects include:

fixation, slide drying, antibody diluents, antibody selection, retrieval

solutions, retrieval methods, tissue digestion, agitation and washing
steps. By paying critical attention to the above aspects, antibody
titers were improved by 5-10 times over conventional immunohistochemical

methods.   Standardization and staining consistency were also
dramatically improved and false negatives were eliminated.  This seminar

will cover technical aspects and pitfalls of antigen retrieval methods,
as well as other critical aspects of preserving and enhancing
antigens/epitopes for immunohistochemical procedures.

            Classroom B
8:00 am     The Art of Muscle and Nerve Biopsy    Steven Smith, MD
 This workshop presents an overview of the proper freezing technique of
skeletal muscle and nerve biopsies for enzyme histochemistry,
immunohistochemistry and frozen section diagnosis.  Personal experience
with differences in high altitude effects will be discussed.  Pathologic

changes demonstrated by each stain and their relevance to disease states

will also be discussed.

10:30 am      Taking the ASCP Qualification in Immunohistochemistry Exam

                     Patsy Ruegg, HT(ASCP)QIHC
This presentation will familiarize the attendees with the assignments
for the all practical QIHC exam.  I will show pictures of slides stained

for IHC and ISH for the exam.  Resources for obtaining QIHC exam tissues

and reagents, that may not be available at your work place, will be
presented.  References for IHC and forms from ASCP to apply to take the
exam will be handed out.

12:30 am   In-Situ Hybridization using Biotinyl Tyramide Amplification
and
                  PNA Probes - Julie Saettele,  DAKO
  GenPoint is a powerful technique for increasing DNA and RNA probe
sensitivity.  Advantages of GenPoint detection compared to conventional
in-situ methods includes:  increased probe detection,  optimized
protocol using automated platform , novel technology, biotinylated probe

use, and digoxigenin probe

2:30 pm   Breast Cancer in the New Millennium,   Julie Saettele,  DAKO
Breast cancer incidence is expected to rise to greater than 420,000 new
cases per year over the next 20 years.  The purpose of this presentation

is to discuss the current transition of standard of care to include the
new diagnostic and treatment modalities available presently and in the
near future.  The presentation will discuss:  statistics; transition of
standard of care; factors contributing to metastasis, axillary lymph
node dissection, sentinel nodes, Her2 overexpression, Herceptin therapy,

EGFR, research therapies.  At the end of the presentation, participants
will be able to discuss the factors that influence survival after the
first relapse; understand the most significant complaint of patients
following breast cancer surgery, explain the importance of the status of

the regional lymph node basin for diagnosis and provide examples of
markers, which regulate metastatic potential of breast cancer

 Colorado Society for Histotechnology
Annual Spring Symposium
April 27, 2002

Location:
Children’s Hospital
6th floor
1056 E. 19th Avenue
Denver, CO

Parking garage: $1.00

Registration:
Saturday, April 27
 7:30 – 8:00am

For accommodations in the area or other questions contact :
Barb Davies 719-365-6926
or email her at:  Barbara.davies@memhospcs.org