Retrospective c-erbB-2 immunostaining in aspiration cytology of breast cancer.
Fifty fine-needle aspiration cytologies of breast that were diagnosed as carcinomas were retrieved from the files and retrospectively evaluated for the expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein using standard immunocytochemical methods. Corresponding histologic sections of all tumors were similarly studied. Seventeen fine-needle aspirates (34%) reacted positively for the presence of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein. All but one (32%) of the corresponding tissue sections were also positive for c-erbB-2 by immunohistochemistry. All positive cases were infiltrative ductal carcinomas with a preponderance of the comedo type. Positive reactions were localized in the cytoplasmic membrane of tumor cells. The staining was either present in all cells throughout a tumor, or it was completely absent. We conclude that immunocytochemistry for c-erbB-2 oncoprotein can be performed on fine-needle aspiration cytology samples that are previously fixed and stained with the Papanicolaou technique. Furthermore, the sensitivity of immunostaining results are comparable to that obtained in histologic sections.
Jorda
M
M
Department of Pathology, University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Medical Center 33101.
Ganjei
P
P
Nadji
M
M
D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases