We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Cancer Tissue Handling Needs Freezing Adaption

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 14 Jan 2013
Traditional specimen handling methods for diagnosing cancer are hampering the introduction of genetic sequencing technology as a routine laboratory procedure. More...


Tumor tissue obtained through a biopsy is fixed in formalin, and embedded in paraffin for microscopic viewing, but the chemical mixture damages DNA, so sequencing tissue processed in this way can be difficult, if not impossible.

Scientists at the Scripps Translational Science Institute (La Jolla, CA, USA) have suggested that a better alternative is to routinely freeze a portion of the specimen, which retains the tissue's genetic coding while preserving it for future analysis. In order to have enough tissue to freeze, larger or additional biopsy samples may be required, especially when using minimally invasive needle biopsy procedures.

Although complete genetic evaluations of tumors might require higher sample-storage costs and a more invasive biopsy procedure, most patients would likely agree to that option if it translates into a better diagnosis and possible treatment. Evidence of such benefit should come from randomized clinical trials that compare detailed genetic evaluation of tumor tissue with the current standard of care for cancer patients.

Genetically guided cancer therapy is an established procedure for the treatment of malignancies. This is especially true where identifying mutations by genotyping of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene (HER2) in breast cancer or the proto-oncogene B-Raf gene (BRAF) in melanoma, may alter the chemotherapeutic regime. The level of crucial detail is only possible with whole genome and exome sequencing from frozen tissue.

Eric J. Topol, MD, a cardiologist and one of the authors, said, “Deciding how best to obtain tumor samples and how best to process them for whole genome or exome sequencing is a pivotal yet unresolved issue with several layers of complexity. We need to completely rethink the way we have collected and stored cancer tissue samples for decades. It’s becoming increasingly clear that obtaining an accurate map of a tumor's DNA can be the key to determining the specific mutations that are driving a person's cancer, how best to treat it and how likely it is to recur." The article was published on January 2, 2013, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Related Links:

Scripps Translational Science Institute




Gold Member
Flocked Fiber Swabs
Puritan® Patented HydraFlock®
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Automatic Hematology Analyzer
LABAS F9000
New
Autoimmune Disease Diagnostic
Chorus ds-DNA-G
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Pancreatic cancer diagnosis (Photo courtesy of World Journal of Gastroenterology)

AI-Driven Preliminary Testing for Pancreatic Cancer Enhances Prognosis

Pancreatic cancer poses a major global health threat due to its high mortality rate, with 467,409 deaths and 510,992 new cases reported worldwide in 2022. Often referred to as the "king" of all cancers,... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.