PROCESSING FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATES OF PROSTATE CARCINOMAS FOR STANDARD IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES AND IN-SITU APOPTOSIS DETECTION

A method is described for making permanent histologi cal sections of p rostate carcinoma material obtained by fine needle aspiration (FNA) un der ecography guidance. Smears made from prostate aspirates were used for diagnosis and from the same patient remaining aspirates were expel led into fixative filled microcentrifuge tube. Aspirates were pelleted and further processed to paraffin blocks. Permanent histological sect ions were obtained and each section was defined as satisfactory when i t contained about 200 intact tumor cells. We have. used these tumor se ctions and immunocytochemistry (ICC) procedures to study molecular bio logical marker expression. The technique described here has proven to be easy to use and offered a fast, reliable and cost-effective method to obtain suitable samples for standard ICC and in situ apoptosis dete ction from FNA prostate carcinoma. The method should be equally suitab le for outpatient use on other tumors in which FNA and ICC or in situ apoptosis detection is likely to be helpful.