title: Immunohistochemical evaluation for hormone receptors in breast cancer: a practically useful evaluation system and handling protocol.
abstract: This article reviews the current status of hormone receptor evaluation in and out of Japan, and introduces the proposed working protocol of the task force for Adequate immunohistochemical evaluation in routine practice for breast cancer by the Japanese Breast Cancer Society. Understanding the principles and the developmental process of immunohistochemistry helps us to utilize a scoring system adequately. Methodologies of hormone receptor examination and immunohistochemical procedures are briefly introduced. Each scoring system is based on different principles. The proposed working protocol takes into account the reproducibility of results among observers, institutions and staining procedures, which is justified based on the current situation in Japan. Future directions for the standardization of immunohistochemical hormone receptor evaluation are also described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Japan. umemura@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Umemura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Saitama Cancer Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsunari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arihiro
authors.affiliation: Oncology and Immunology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: Departmeni of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Umekita
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komoike
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute Ariake Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Futoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akiyama
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011987:Receptors, Steroid