Objectives:
To improve the detection of p53 protein in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded head and neck tumor tissues.
Design:
Cohort.
Setting:
University and Veterans Administration medical centers.
Patients or Other Participants:
Retrospective samples.
Intervention:
Surgery for head and neck carcinoma.
Main Outcome Measure:
Retrieval of p53 antigen. Hypothesis formulated after data collection.
Results:
An antigen retrieval method facilitated the unmasking of previously inaccessible p53 antigenic determinants in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. This approach has made possible a much more reliable and sensitive immunohistochemical detection of p53 antigen. The procedure is simple, requiring only microwave heating of tissue sections to 100°C in the presence of a zinc sulfate solution.
Conclusions:
Antigen retrieval method in formalinfixed, paraffin-embedded tissue demonstrated a significant increase in p53 immunostaining.(Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1993;119:1206-1209)