Optimization and validation of immunocytochemical detection of oestrogen receptors on cytospins prepared from fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples of breast cancer.

Objective: To optimize and validate immunocytochemical (ICC) assessment of oestrogen receptors (ERs) on cytospins prepared from fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples.

Methods: Optimal conditions and variability in ICC detection of ERs were established on cytospins prepared from the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Protocols that yielded adequate results were further validated on 52 FNA samples of resected breast cancer tumours using analysis of concordance with the ER status, determined by standard immunohistochemistry on corresponding formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET).

S-phase fraction determined on fine needle aspirates is an independent prognostic factor in breast cancer - a multivariate study of 770 patients.

Background: The prognostic significance of DNA ploidy and the S-phase fraction (SPF) have been extensively studied in breast cancer, but their clinical utility remains controversial. The type of tumour material can substantially influence flow cytometric DNA measurements. Material obtained by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is very suitable for flow cytometric DNA analysis because it contains a low proportion of non-tumour cells and less debris than tissue samples.

Image cytometric evaluation of nuclear texture features and DNA content of the reticular form of oral lichen planus.

Objective: To analyze image cytometric chromatin changes reflected in nuclear texture features and DNA ploidy of oral lichen planus in relation to the normal buccal mucosa and buccal mucosa expressing malignancy-associated changes in cancer patients.

Study Design: Twenty-eight patients with the reticular form of oral lichen planus, with a follow-up period of 25 years, 50 healthy controls and 50 lung cancer patients were included in the study. Scrapings of buccal mucosa were suspended in transport medium.

Dilution effect of nontumor cells on flow cytometric DNA S-phase fraction in breast cancer fine needle aspirates.

Objective: To analyze the proportion of nontumor cells in fine needle aspirates of breast carcinoma and its influence on flow cytometric S-phase fraction (SPF) estimation.

Study Design: We analyzed the proportion of nontumor cells in fine needle aspiration biopsy smears, performed flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy and SPF on freshly aspirated tumor material and analyzed histograms manually and automatically using Multi-Cycle AV software (Phoenix Flow Systems, San Diego, California, U.S.

Malignancy associated changes in epithelial cells of buccal mucosa: a potential cancer detection test.

Objective: To analyze the presence of malignancy associated changes (MACs) in normal buccal mucosa cells of lung and breast cancer patients and their relationship to tumor subtype, stage and size.

Study Design: Buccal mucosa smears of 107 lung cancer and 100 breast cancer patients and corresponding healthy subjects were collected, stained by the DNA-specific Feulgen-thionin method and scanned using an automated high-resolution cytometer. Nuclear texture features of a minimum of 500 nuclei per slide were calculated, and statistical classifiers using Gaussian models of class-probability distribution were designed, trained and tested in 3 parts: (1) ability to separate cancer patient samples from controls, (2) cross-validation of classifiers for different cancer types, and (3) correlation of MAC expression with tumor subtype, stage and size.