[Histonet] ER/PR controls

[Cartun, Richard]

We use internal control blocks that we prepare from extra tumor tissue that we process after the case has been signed out.  However, this is getting more and more difficult for us since most breast tumors are smaller now when detected (and that's a good thing!) which results in the entire tumor being submitted for diagnosis.   I like to select a control case where we have multiple blocks (>10), and where the tumor shows variable (weak, moderate, and strong) immunoreactivity for both ER and PR.  It's also beneficial when your control tissue contains benign breast epithelium which can serve as both a positive and negative control.  In my experience, most breast biopsy specimens show internal positive controls for ER and PR which is especially helpful when the tumor shows a "Triple-Negative" immunoprofile.  After all, the best positive control is an internal positive control!  When I look at my positive controls on a daily basis, I am looking for reproducibility in the immunoreactivity in the tumor and the benign epithelium.

Richard

Richard W. Cartun, MS, PhD
Director, Histology & The Martin M. Berman, MD Immunopathology/Morphologic Proteomics Laboratory
Director, Biospecimen Collection Programs
Assistant Director, Anatomic Pathology
Hartford Hospital
80 Seymour Street
Hartford, CT  06102
(860) 972-1596 (Office)
(860) 545-2204 (Fax)
Richard.cartun at hhchealth.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Moe, Barbi A via Histonet [mailto:histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2019 1:44 PM
To: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] ER/PR controls

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For anyone making in-house ER/PR controls could you comment on what tissue you have in your control block -- one piece of positive tumor regardless of reactivity strength 1+, 2+, 3+ (weak, medium, strong) or multiple pieces to represent each level of reactivity?





Also, does anyone order commercially their ER/PR controls to achieve this level of representation in their control block?





Any thoughts are appreciated - thank you.





Barb Moe



Gundersen Health System



La Crosse WI



bamoe at gundersenhealth.org

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