However, some clinical trials will not accept patients if their tissue is
fixed in a different fixative. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Soto, Roxanne [mailto:RSoto@covhealth.org]
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 2:52 PM
To: 'Patti Loykasek'; histonet
Subject: RE: Breast Tissue


I agree, you should be careful with FDA approved cases, however, the DAKO
kit also says fixed in formalin for 18 - 24 hours and cut 3 - 4 mm - not
many of us do that.  And if we get a positive of greater than 2+ we do FISH
anyway. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Patti Loykasek [mailto:ploykasek@phenopath.com]
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 12:21 PM
To: histonet
Subject: Re: Breast Tissue


To all: I would like to interject to carefully consider what fixatives you
are using on tissue that could have IHC done. Some fixatives have
deleterious results on some epitopes. Especially if you are doing any FDA
approved tests, you should carefully read the inserts included with these
tests. For example, the HercepTest from Dako requires formalin fixation.
Before changing fixatives I would recommend doing a side by side test using
your old fixative & the new fixative, doing IHC on both sets. I have found
that proper formalin fixation and processing usually works well on all
tissues. Although I understand the pathologists and surgeons are reluctant
to wait on good fixation. Perhaps if they understood that their patients IHC
results depended on it, they would be more amenable to waiting. Just my 2
cents worth. 

Patti Loykasek
PhenoPath Laboratories
Seattle, WA 


> Dear Roxanne,  Your email to Histonet does not
> say who you are or for whom you work. Please
> reveal your position in relation to
> "rapid fix from BBC."
> 
> Please will you tell all of us
> what "rapid fix from BBC" is, and
> _why_ anybody should try it out
> on fatty breast tissue.
> 
> The principles of fixing different kinds of
> specimens for frozen sections or parsffin
> procesing were well known 101 years ago
> (Gustav Mann's "Physiological Histology." 1902;
> a good read if you have an old library). The
> chemistry of fixation is understood better now
> than in Mann's time, but old Gus had all the right
> ideas.
> 
> Fixation determines the microanatomy and cytology
> seen by the pathologist, tecnician or computer
> trying to make a diagnosis. Just imagine yourself
> being interrogated by a barrister and having to
> admit that you did not know how the fixative
> affected the diagnosis. Why should any of us
> risk using a "rapid fix from BBC" without
> knowing what it is and if or how it works?
> 
> There are plenty of thoroughly understood fixative
> mixtures that work well. Thers is no place for
> the secret brew.
> --
> ------
> John A. Kiernan
> Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
> The University of Western Ontario
> London,   Canada   N6A 5C1
>  kiernan@uwo.ca
>  http://publish.uwo.ca/~jkiernan/
> -------------
> GREYTRUNK@aol.com wrote:
>> 
>> Try rapid fix from BBC.
>> Roxanne
> ________________________________________________________
> 



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