American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Histotechnologist Practice Test

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the ASCP Histotechnologist Test. Review with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Prepare for your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

For HER2 testing in breast tissue after invasive carcinomas, it is recommended that formalin fixation occurs for how long?

A minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 48 hours
A minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 24 hours
A minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 8 hours
A minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 12 hours

The correct answer is: A minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 48 hours

Formalin fixation is crucial for preserving tissue morphology and ensuring accurate immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, particularly for HER2 testing in breast carcinoma tissues. The recommendation for a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 48 hours is based on studies that show adequate fixation time allows for optimal antigen retrieval and better staining outcomes. Fixation for at least 4 hours ensures that the formalin adequately penetrates the tissue, providing sufficient preservation of cellular structures and molecular components required for accurate HER2 expression analysis. Moreover, a fixation time extending to a maximum of 48 hours allows for variability in tissue density and size, accommodating different specimen types while still achieving reliable results. Longer fixation durations beyond 48 hours may start to alter tissue antigenicity, diminishing the quality of immunostaining results. Thus, the specified timeframe optimally balances thorough fixation with the preservation of antigen integrity for HER2 testing, ensuring that the procedure yields reproducible and clinically significant results.