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Utility of immunochemistry in cytology

Pooja Chavali1, Aruna Kumari Prayaga1, Ashwani Tandon1

  • 1Department of Pathology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

Journal of Cytology
|June 10, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Immunocytochemistry (ICC) significantly aids cytology practice by improving diagnosis and prognostication. This technique is a valuable adjunct for accurate diagnostic services, especially with limited tissue samples.

Area of Science:

  • Cytopathology
  • Oncology
  • Immunohistochemistry

Background:

  • Accurate diagnosis is crucial for modern targeted therapy and improved patient management.
  • Cytology plays a vital role in primary diagnosis, often utilizing limited tissue samples.
  • Immunochemistry and molecular techniques are increasingly integrated into cytological analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of immunocytochemistry (ICC) on cytology material within routine cytology practice.
  • To determine the utility of ICC in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and patient prognostication.

Main Methods:

  • Immunocytochemistry was performed on alcohol-fixed cytology smears and cell-block preparations.
  • Automated staining was conducted using the i6000 BioGenex autostainer and associated reagents.
  • A total of 148 cases were analyzed over a three-year period.

Main Results:

  • ICC was applied to 77 smears and 71 cell-block sections.
  • Immunocytochemistry assisted in initial diagnosis (8 cases), confirmed diagnoses (26 cases), aided subtyping (60 cases), and supported prognostication (6 cases).
  • ICC altered the diagnosis in 2 cases and was noncontributory in 43 cases due to inadequate material in 3 cases.

Conclusions:

  • Immunocytochemistry proved to be a useful adjunct in diagnosis and prognostication in 69% (102) of cases.
  • The study recommends the routine use of ICC to enhance cytology services and improve patient care.
  • ICC integration is beneficial for achieving accurate diagnoses on limited cytology samples.
Abstract

Keywords:
Cell blockcytologyimmunochemistryutility

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