Towards credible immynocytochemscal findings

摘要

Nowadays the major development of radiological techniques and of less invasive sampling techniques has put the cytopathologist in a central position at the forefront of diagnostic procedures. It is indeed not unusual for cytological specimens to be the only diagnostic sample available from patients' tumours. This is of critical importance because not only diagnostic but also prognostic and theranostic information is needed in the clinical setting in order to deliver the most personalized medicine to the patient. The direct consequence of this major shift is that many ancillary tests, such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization techniques, which are conventionally performed on tissue sections, are now expected to be carried out on cellular specimens. As a consequence, pathologists are challenged to convert the benefits from the array of new developments, including the use of state of the art sophisticated molecular tools, into the daily practice of cytopathology.