BACKGROUND: The assessment of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) expression is a useful way to investigate the origin of lung adenocarcinomas or large cell carcinomas when dealing with a solitary lung nodule in a patient with a history of extrathoracic cancer. However, if immunohistological analysis has not been performed before surgery, a peroperative frozen section may be insufficient to distinguish between a primary pulmonary tumour and a metastatic tumour. AIMS: To develop a technique for the rapid assessment of TTF-1 expression that could improve the ability of frozen section peroperative histological diagnosis to answer such questions. METHODS: A rapid immunohistochemical technique (lasting 30 minutes) to assess the expression of TTF-1 was developed and tested. RESULTS: Among the 45 interpretable cases, results of frozen section immunohistochemistry were similar to those found by the standard immunohistochemical technique for the expression of TTF-1. CONCLUSIONS: This technique enables TTF-1 to be analysed peroperatively, but further prospective studies are needed to assess its usefulness in routine practice.
BACKGROUND: The assessment of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) expression is a useful way to investigate the origin of lung adenocarcinomas or large cell carcinomas when dealing with a solitary lung nodule in a patient with a history of extrathoracic cancer. However, if immunohistological analysis has not been performed before surgery, a peroperative frozen section may be insufficient to distinguish between a primary pulmonary tumour and a metastatic tumour. AIMS: To develop a technique for the rapid assessment of TTF-1 expression that could improve the ability of frozen section peroperative histological diagnosis to answer such questions. METHODS: A rapid immunohistochemical technique (lasting 30 minutes) to assess the expression of TTF-1 was developed and tested. RESULTS: Among the 45 interpretable cases, results of frozen section immunohistochemistry were similar to those found by the standard immunohistochemical technique for the expression of TTF-1. CONCLUSIONS: This technique enables TTF-1 to be analysed peroperatively, but further prospective studies are needed to assess its usefulness in routine practice.
Authors: U Pastorino; M Buyse; G Friedel; R J Ginsberg; P Girard; P Goldstraw; M Johnston; P McCormack; H Pass; J B Putnam Journal: J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Date: 1997-01 Impact factor: 5.209
Authors: J S Reis-Filho; C Carrilho; C Valenti; D Leitão; C A Ribeiro; S G Ribeiro; F C Schmitt Journal: Pathol Res Pract Date: 2000 Impact factor: 3.250
Authors: P A Bejarano; R P Baughman; P W Biddinger; M A Miller; C Fenoglio-Preiser; B al-Kafaji; R Di Lauro; J A Whitsett Journal: Mod Pathol Date: 1996-04 Impact factor: 7.842
Authors: Joachim Pfannschmidt; Hans Hoffmann; Thomas Muley; Sabine Krysa; Christine Trainer; Hendrik Dienemann Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2002-11 Impact factor: 4.330