LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Molecular Diagnostics Optimized for Breast Cancer Tissue Samples

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 16 Jan 2014
Image: MammaPrint, a prognostic 70-gene profile for early-stage breast cancer (Photo courtesy of Agendia).
Image: MammaPrint, a prognostic 70-gene profile for early-stage breast cancer (Photo courtesy of Agendia).
A prognostic 70-gene profile assay for early-stage breast cancer has been available for fresh tissue, and improvements in ribonucleic acid (RNA) processing have enabled microarray diagnostics for formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.

The test is based on accurate measurement of gene expression by microarray analysis and has been developed and validated for fresh and fresh-frozen tumor tissue to guarantee high-quality RNA for the analysis. Gene expression analysis using FFPE tissue has long been challenging, because of nonstandardized fixation protocols and because of unreliable retrieval of high-quality RNA from FFPE material due to fragmentation of RNA and cross-linking as a result of formalin fixation.

Scientists at the University of Turin (Italy) and colleagues from other organizations, optimized the assay on 157 FFPE samples, and the assay was established using 125 matched FFPE and fresh tissue samples. Validation of the MammaPrint-FFPE assay (Agendia; Irvine, CA, USA), was compared with the company’s MammaPrint-fresh assay and was performed on an independent series of matched tissue for 211 samples from five hospitals.

The MammaPrint assay using FFPE analyte demonstrated an overall equivalence of 91.5% between the 211 independent matched FFPE and fresh tumor samples. Precision was 97.3%, and repeatability was 97.8%, with highly reproducible results between replicate samples of the same tumor and between two laboratories. Precision and repeatability of the FFPE assay were assessed on a set of four diagnostic samples that were processed and analyzed in duplicate for 20 consecutive days. MammaPrint showed very stable results on FFPE, with a very high relative stability for precision.

The authors concluded that the MammaPrint test can be used on core and surgical sections from FFPE tissue as an alternative to fresh tissue. The MammaPrint-FFPE assay has excellent reproducibility, precision, and repeatability, with performance closely similar to that of MammaPrint-fresh. The study was published on December 28, 2013, in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

Related Links:

University of Turin
Agendia


Gold Member
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
Rapid Molecular Testing Device
FlashDetect Flash10
HBV DNA Test
GENERIC HBV VIRAL LOAD VER 2.0

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The diagnostic device can tell how deadly brain tumors respond to treatment from a simple blood test (Photo courtesy of UQ)

Diagnostic Device Predicts Treatment Response for Brain Tumors Via Blood Test

Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer, largely because doctors have no reliable way to determine whether treatments are working in real time. Assessing therapeutic response currently... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: Circulating tumor cells isolated from blood samples could help guide immunotherapy decisions (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Identifies Lung Cancer Patients Who Can Benefit from Immunotherapy Drug

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease with limited treatment options, and even newly approved immunotherapies do not benefit all patients. While immunotherapy can extend survival for some,... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: New evidence suggests that imbalances in the gut microbiome may contribute to the onset and progression of MCI and Alzheimer’s disease (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Comprehensive Review Identifies Gut Microbiome Signatures Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 6.7 million people in the United States and nearly 50 million worldwide, yet early cognitive decline remains difficult to characterize. Increasing evidence suggests... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Vitestro has shared a detailed visual explanation of its Autonomous Robotic Phlebotomy Device (photo courtesy of Vitestro)

Robotic Technology Unveiled for Automated Diagnostic Blood Draws

Routine diagnostic blood collection is a high‑volume task that can strain staffing and introduce human‑dependent variability, with downstream implications for sample quality and patient experience.... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: Roche’s cobas® Mass Spec solution enables fully automated mass spectrometry in routine clinical laboratories (Photo courtesy of Roche)

New Collaboration Brings Automated Mass Spectrometry to Routine Laboratory Testing

Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical technique that identifies and quantifies molecules based on their mass and electrical charge. Its high selectivity, sensitivity, and accuracy make it indispensable... Read more