Abstract
Immunohistochemistry is increasingly used in the assessment of markers for breast cancer prognosis. Semiquantitation is frequently desirable but, other than by the use of image analysis, the approaches currently in use are cumbersome. The most common method used is the H-score which takes into consideration the staining intensity in conjunction with the percentage of cells staining positively in breast carcinoma tissue. A "quickscore" has been developed which dispenses with the need to count individual cells. The quantitative biochemical Abbott enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and the Dako immunohistochemical assay (IHA) incorporating a semiquantitative H-score, have been used as standards against which the IHA quickscore for the semiquantitation of oestrogen receptor expression was tested. A good correlation was found between the quickscore and the EIA, which was as good as that between the H-score and EIA. The quickscore is a valid approach and there is no advantage in using the more rigorous H-score. A positive cut off quickscore of > or = 3 has been suggested.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Andersen J., Bentzen S. M., Poulsen H. S. Relationship between radioligand binding assay, immunoenzyme assay and immunohistochemical assay for estrogen receptors in human breast cancer and association with tumor differentiation. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol. 1988 Mar;24(3):377–384. doi: 10.1016/s0277-5379(98)90006-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Andersen J. Determination of estrogen receptors in paraffin-embedded tissue. Techniques and the value in breast cancer treatment. Acta Oncol. 1992;31(6):611–627. doi: 10.3109/02841869209083843. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Barnes D. M., Dublin E. A., Fisher C. J., Levison D. A., Millis R. R. Immunohistochemical detection of p53 protein in mammary carcinoma: an important new independent indicator of prognosis? Hum Pathol. 1993 May;24(5):469–476. doi: 10.1016/0046-8177(93)90158-d. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kinsel L. B., Szabo E., Greene G. L., Konrath J., Leight G. S., McCarty K. S., Jr Immunocytochemical analysis of estrogen receptors as a predictor of prognosis in breast cancer patients: comparison with quantitative biochemical methods. Cancer Res. 1989 Feb 15;49(4):1052–1056. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McClelland R. A., Finlay P., Walker K. J., Nicholson D., Robertson J. F., Blamey R. W., Nicholson R. I. Automated quantitation of immunocytochemically localized estrogen receptors in human breast cancer. Cancer Res. 1990 Jun 15;50(12):3545–3550. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Saccani Jotti G., Johnston S. R., Salter J., Detre S., Dowsett M. Comparison of new immunohistochemical assay for oestrogen receptor in paraffin wax embedded breast carcinoma tissue with quantitative enzyme immunoassay. J Clin Pathol. 1994 Oct;47(10):900–905. doi: 10.1136/jcp.47.10.900. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]