[Histonet] Re: Dr. Cartun can you answer a CAP question?

[Joe Nocito]

Dr. Cartun,
	I present a basic IHC wet workshop at the state and NSH periodically. When
I get to the QC section, this is what I tell the attendees. One supervisor
during one of the presentations just ripped me apart because some inspector
cited her lab for not having the "proper" negative controls.
	I tried to explain to her that most inspectors understand the costs
involved with running a negative control for all different types of
pretreatments, etc. I'm sorry she had an inspector that took the checklist
verbatim.
	I think there are numerous questions in the checklist that CAP has to
address and reword. This just happens to be one of them.

Joe Nocito, BS, HT(ASCP) QIHC
Histology Manager
Pathology Reference Lab
San Antonio, TX



-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of Richard
Cartun
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 5:43 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; settembr <@t> umdnj.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Re: Dr. Cartun can you answer a CAP question?

Hi Dana:

This is a question that the CAP needs to re-visit because what "they"
are asking us to do is simply not practical in today's laboratory
environment.  As far as I am concerned, the use of a negative control is
grossly overstated.  Best case scenario in my lab is we run one negative
control and it gets treated with the harshest pretreatment used for that
particular case.  However, we frequently have cases (mostly consults
from other hospitals) where a negative control is not run because there
just aren't enough unstained slides available or we are staining an H&E
or stained cytology slides.  In these situations I look for internal
"negative controls" (i.e., cells that should be negative).  Since we
switched to non-avidin/biotin detection several years ago I hardly ever
see "non-specific" staining.  I would hope that most CAP inspectors
would understand the situation and not site you; I never do.

Maybe we should start a petition to get the CAP to re-examine this
question?

Richard

Richard Cartun, Ph.D.
Director, Immunopathology
Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT  06102

p.s. I hope you don't mind, but I sent my response to Histonet as well
since this has been a topic of interest recently.

>>> Dana Settembre <settembr <@t> umdnj.edu> 07/27/04 03:03PM >>>
Dr. Cartun,
Can I ask you how you handle your negative controls in reference to
CAP
requirements?
Our inspection is in September and our official revised CAP checklist
asks and states the following:

Are negative controls used for each antibody species?
NOTE: A negative control for each primary antibody species must be
used.  Alternativly, buffer controls can be used
if multiple antibodies for each species are included.  The controls
used should also control for pre-treatment conditions.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to respond.

Dana Settembre
University Hospital - UMDNJ, Newark, NJ


>>> Richard Cartun <Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org> 7/27/2004 11:23:45 AM >>>
Hi Dana:

Are you sure that BioCare's AMACR isn't "IVD"?

RIchard

>>> Dana Settembre <settembr <@t> umdnj.edu> 07/27/04 07:25AM >>>
Sorry,  Using Biocare Medical's AMACR which is Research Use Only.
Dana Settembre
University Hospital - UMDNJ
Newark, NJ

>>> Richard Cartun <Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org> 7/23/2004 5:14:14 PM >>>
Is anyone using an antibody to "alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase" (P504S)
that is labeled "IVD" or "ASR"?  Thank you!

Richard Cartun

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