[Histonet] Re: 6 to 48 hour fixation for breast tissue

[Robert Richmond]

Gary Martin asks >>Is it true that you do not have to observe the
minimum 6 hour fixation and the 48 hour maximum fixation time if you
do HER2 by FISH?<<

This grumpy old pathologist now requires overnight fixation of all
breast tissue. It isn't just regulator compliance for HER2 - what I
like is the better quality of the H & E sections. Breast pathology is
tough enough without crappy nuclei. The regulators have made us do
what we should have been doing anyway.

I'm seeing a lot of large core stereotactic biopsy specimens these
days. Should these go in a bare cassette, or between blue biopsy pads?
Should I be trying to cut them longitudinally before submitting them?

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN