Solid Tumor Specimen Requirements

Paraffin embedded tissue sections

  • Tissue should be fixed in formalin and not exposed to decalcification solution. The paraffin block should contain no less than 3 mm area of tumor.
  • Slides should prepared by histology using a specific protocol for cutting molecular sections to avoid contamination of the tissue sections (available upon request).
  • One H&E and 6 unstained sections are required for most of the tests. Ten unstained sections or more are required for some tests (indicated by * in test menu) or if the tissue is small. Please call the lab if you have questions.
  • Inclusion of normal patient tissue (either adjacent to tumor in the same block or separate block) is optimal for LOH and MSI analyses.
  • Slides should be properly labeled with a block label that matches the surgical pathology specimen number on the surgical pathology report.
  • Slides should be sent ambient temperature in proper storage containers (plastic slide boxes) to protect them during shipment.
  • A surgical pathology and/or cytology report and completed requisition for must accompany all specimens.

Frozen Tissue

  • A minimum of 2 x 2 x 2 mm of frozen tissue is required; however, 5 x 5 x 5 mm is optimal.
  • Collection date and time should be stated.
  • Tissue specimen containing at least 50% of tumor cells can be either placed into cryogenic tube and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen, or placed into a tube with preservative solution provided by the Molecular & Genomic Pathology laboratory (request solution from the lab) and frozen at -20°C.
  • Ship overnight on dry ice. A surgical pathology and/or cytology report and completed requisition for must accompany all specimens.

Fresh Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) samples

  • Fresh specimens should be collected into preservative solution provided by the Molecular & Genomic Pathology laboratory (request solution from the lab). Collection instruction will be provided with the solution.
  • Collection date and time should be stated.
  • Specimen can be refrigerated at 4°C for 12 hours or stored at -20°C prior to shipment.
  • Ship at room temperature when using “next business morning” delivery or with ice packs by overnight delivery. A surgical pathology and/or cytology report and completed requisition for must accompany all specimens.

Fixed Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) samples

  • One H&E and 4-6 unstained sections from cell block are required. A minimum of 300 tumor cells should be present on a slide. Please call the lab if you have any questions.
  • Slides should be properly labeled with a number that matches the specimen number on the cytology report.
  • Slides should be sent in proper storage containers (plastic slide boxes) to protect them during shipment. A surgical pathology and/or cytology report and completed requisition for must accompany all specimens.

Peripheral Blood

  • 2-5 ml of fresh peripheral blood collected in EDTA (purple top) tube or ACD (yellow top) tube.
  • Blood should be refrigerated until shipment at 4°C.
  • Shipment is at ambient temperature by overnight delivery in a properly labeled shipping container for biohazard substances. A surgical pathology and/or cytology report and completed requisition for must accompany all specimens.

Buccal Brush

  • Collection should be performed using the CytoSoft Cytology Brush or similar collection device following the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Collection date and time should be stated.
  • Sample should be refrigerated until shipment at 4°C.
  • Shipment is at ambient temperature by overnight delivery in a properly labeled shipping container for biohazard substances. A surgical pathology and/or cytology report and completed requisition for must accompany all specimens.