Reagent-saving immunohistochemistry for HER2 using non-contact alternating current electric field mixing

AimsHuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted agents are an effective approach to treating patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, the lack of survival benefit in HER2-negative patients, as well as the toxic effects and high cost of the drugs, highlight the need for accura...

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Published inJournal of clinical pathology Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 25 - 30
Main Authors Hoshino, Iku, Imai, Kazuhiro, Nanjo, Hiroshi, Nakamura, Ryuta, Saito, Yoshitaro, Fujishima, Satoshi, Saito, Hajime, Terata, Kaori, Wakita, Akiyuki, Sato, Yusuke, Motoyama, Satoru, Akagami, Yoichi, Minamiya, Yoshihiro
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.01.2019
Subjects
Breast cancer
Electric fields
Epidermal growth factor
Gene amplification
Histopathology
Hybridization
Lung cancer
Methods
Thoracic surgery
Tumors
United States > US
Japan
breast cancer
molecular pathology
immunohistochemistry
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Summary:AimsHuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted agents are an effective approach to treating patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, the lack of survival benefit in HER2-negative patients, as well as the toxic effects and high cost of the drugs, highlight the need for accurate and prompt assessment of HER2 status. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical utility of a novel reagent-saving immunohistochemistry method (AC-IHC) that saves HER2 antibody by taking advantage of the non-contact mixing effect in microdroplets subjected to an alternating current electric field.MethodsNinety-five specimens were used from patients diagnosed with primary breast cancers identified immunohistochemically as HER2 0/1+, 2+ or 3+ using ASCO/CAP guideline-certified standard IHC. The specimens were all tested using the conventional IHC method (1:50 antibody dilution) as well as AC-IHC (1:50 dilution) and reagent-saving AC-IHC (1:100 dilution).ResultsThe reagent-saving AC-IHC produced stable results with less non-specific staining using smaller amounts of labelled antibody. Moreover, the staining and accuracy of HER2 status evaluated with the reagent-saving AC-IHC method was equal to that achieved with standard IHC.ConclusionsThese results suggest reagent-saving AC-IHC could be used as a clinical tool for accurate and stable HER2 IHC, even when reagent concentrations vary.
ISSN:0021-9746
1472-4146
DOI:10.1136/jclinpath-2018-205325