title: The effect of freezing on the immunoprofile of breast carcinoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraoperative frozen section procedure may be required in some operations performed for breast masses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of frozen section procedure on the immunoprofile of breast carcinoma cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 53 breast carcinoma cases evaluated with intraoperative frozen sections were included in this study. Immunohistochemically, oestrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and HER2 primary antibodies were evaluated in both frozen and non-frozen sections of each tumour sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No difference was found between the frozen and non-frozen sections in 33 cases in terms of staining rate and intensity of ER, PR and HER2. A decrease was found in the ER, PR and HER2 staining rate (in 10 cases, 9 cases and 6 cases, respectively). Likewise, a decrease was detected in ER, PR and HER2 staining intensity in 6 patients for each. Although there was no staining in frozen sections, immunopositivity was observed in 3 non-frozen sections for ER, in 2 for PR and in 5 for HER2. Statistically, a significant difference was found between the frozen and non-frozen sections in terms of staining rate and intensity for each of the three markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the frozen section procedure in breast carcinoma had a negative effect on the immunoprofile. However, considering the importance of hormone receptor status in the treatment, these results should be supported with larger series.
authors: Department of Pathology, İzmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Asuman
authors: A
authors: Argon
authors: Department of Pathology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Alper
authors: A
authors: Şener
authors: Department of Pathology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Osman
authors: O
authors: Zekioğlu
authors: Department of General Surgery, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Kapkaç
authors: Department of Pathology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Necmettin
authors: N
authors: Özdemir
keywords: Breast carcinoma; HER2; frozen examination; immunohistochemistry; oestrogen; progesterone