Bass BP, Engel KB, Greytak SR, Moore HM. A review of preanalytical factors affecting molecular, protein, and morphological analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue: how well do you know your FFPE specimen?
Arch Pathol Lab Med 2015;
138:1520-30. [PMID:
25357115 DOI:
10.5858/arpa.2013-0691-ra]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT
Formalin fixation and paraffin embedding is a timeless, cost-efficient, and widely adopted method of preserving human tissue biospecimens that has resulted in a substantial reservoir of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks that represent both the pathology and preanalytical handling of the biospecimen. This reservoir of specimens is increasingly being used for DNA, RNA, and proteomic analyses.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of preanalytical factors associated with the formalin fixation and paraffin embedding process on downstream morphological and molecular endpoints.
DATA SOURCES
We surveyed the existing literature using the National Cancer Institute's Biospecimen Research Database for published reports investigating the potential influence of preanalytical factors associated with the formalin fixation and paraffin embedding process on DNA, RNA, protein, and morphological endpoints.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the literature evidence, the molecular, proteomic, and morphological endpoints can be altered in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens by suboptimal processing conditions. While the direction and magnitude of effects associated with a given preanalytical factor were dependent on the analyte (DNA, RNA, protein, and morphology) and analytical platform, acceptable conditions are highlighted, and a summary of conditions that could preclude analysis is provided.
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