Imprint immunocytochemistry of estrogen receptors in breast carcinoma

To clarify the accuracy of immunocytochemical detection of estrogen receptors (ER) in breast carcinomas using cytological materials, imprint specimens from tumor tissue were compared with frozen tissue sections and tumors analyzed by the dextran coated charcoal (DCC) method and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Out of 50 cases examined by imprint immunocytochemistry, there were 39 ER positive cases (78.0% positivity). The positivity in the imprint materials agreed with that of the DCC in 36 out of 40 cases (85.0%), with 100% sensitivity and 60.0% specificity. The two methods statistically correlated with each other in their positivity and grade (p less than 0.001). The positivity and grades of imprint and frozen immunocytochemistry as well as those of imprint immunocytochemistry and the EIA agreed almost perfectly with each other. As a result of the present study, we concluded that immunocytochemical detection of ER is indeed reliable, as accurate as other procedures. We recommend that aspiration biopsy cytology (ABC) be used for morphological examination and ER immunocytochemistry when adequate materials are available and that imprint materials be used when ABC materials are inadequate and fresh tissue is available at the time of surgery.