The effect of fixation on the size, shape and summed optical density of endometrial cancer nuclei.
OBJECTIVE
Nuclear morphometric features have been shown to be of prognostic importance in several malignancies including recently, endometrial cancer. The authors attempted to see whether the type of fixation affected nuclear size (NUSZ), shape (NUSH), and summed optical density (NUSD).


METHODS
Fifty specimens, half air dried and half alcohol fixed, were obtained from 25 consecutive patients with endometrial cancer. Results were compared with the paired samples t-test. Differences among the nuclear morphometric features and histologic grade, stage, and depth of myometrial invasion were studied by one-way analysis of variance. Logistic regression was used to determine if any were independent prognostic features. Image analysis was used to determine NUSZ, NUSH, and NUSD.


RESULTS
Mean NUSZ was shown to be significantly larger in air dried specimens (89.13 microm2) as compared to alcohol fixed specimens (80.34 microm2) P=0.047. Mean NUSH was significantly closer to round in air dried specimens (15.21) as compared to alcohol fixed specimens (15.65) P=0.025. There was no significant difference in mean NUSD between air dried (128.61) and alcohol fixed specimens (126.22) P=0.76. Stage, as well as air dried NUSZ, NUSH, and NUSD were all independent predictors of recurrence. In this study none of the nuclear parameters from the alcohol fixed tissues were predictive of recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
The type of fixation significantly affects the nuclear morphometric parameters of size and shape. While NUSZ, NUSH, and NUSD from air dried specimens were predictive of recurrence, the same parameters from alcohol fixed specimens were not. A larger prospective trial is currently underway to validate these findings.
Geisler
J P
JP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center, Indianapolis, IN 46260, USA.
Geisler
H E
HE
Wiemann
M C
MC
Zhou
Z
Z
Miller
G A
GA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016015:Logistic Models; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods