Preservation of cluster 1 small cell lung cancer antigen in zinc‐formalin fixative and its application to immunohistological diagnosis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies reactive with cluster 1 small cell lung cancer antigen have been shown to be useful for the distinction of small cell from non‐small cell tumours. In previous studies the antibodies have been applied to frozen sections and cold acetone‐fixed tissues. However, one of three monoclonal antibodies that we produced, NCC‐LU‐243, reacted with some small cell lung carcinomas fixed in formalin solution and embedded in paraffin. The addition of zinc sulphate to the formalin solution at a concentration of 2% (v/w) greatly improved antigen immunoreactivity, and reactivity was retained even after prolonged fixation. Occasionally, immunoreacivity was present in a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with rosette‐like structures. The monoclonal antibody NCC‐LU‐243 is thus of considerable potential value in the immunohistochemical diagnosis of small cell lung cancers.