The use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) to identify the primary site of carcinomas presenting at metastatic sites commenced in the early 1980s. Since that time there has been an evolution, with additions of new markers and the weeding out of markers found to be less predictive of primary site than initially suggested. The relative strengths and weaknesses of cytoplasmic differentiation markers and nuclear transcription factors to identify the major carcinoma groups will be presented, as well as the most efficacious and cost effective IHC antibody panels that can be recommended today.
At the end of this 90-minute webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe the nature of keratins and why they are imperfect markers for determination of primary site.
- Identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of IHC carcinoma markers corresponding to nuclear transcription factors and differentiation markers.
- Identify the principal IHC markers for the major sites of origin that have been employed and understand why many have not stood the test of time and others have.
- Identify the optimal IHC markers employed today, and the most cost effective and efficacious use of antibody panels.
Target audience: Pathologists, Resident
CanMEDS Role: Medical Expert, Communicator
About the Expert: Dr. Allen M. Gown is a pathologist-scientist recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in the diagnostic and research applications of immunohistochemistry (IHC). His Pathology career started at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he developed many monoclonal antibodies still in use in diagnostic immunohistochemistry, and contributed extensively to the expanding horizons of immunohistochemistry. He then became the founder of PhenoPath, a national consultative reference laboratory specializing in IHC, flow cytometry, FISH, PCR, and cytogenetics testing. Dr. Gown is a member of the several pathology journal editorial boards and a co-founder of the International Society of Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology (ISIMM). He is currently a Clinical Professor of Pathology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. Dr. Gown has well over 300 peer-reviewed journal publications and numerous book chapters.
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the CAP-ACP. You may claim a maximum of 1.5 hours per event attended. (credits are automatically calculated).
Declaration of Conflict of Interest:
- Invited speaker for Agilent Technologies
- Speakers bureau for Merck, Sharpe, Dohme