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.