Comparison of p63 staining intensity between re-cut sections and de-stained sections of patient specimens with lung cancer

Background and Several studies have been carried out on re-cut and de-stained sections regarding prostate biopsies and cytologic specimens of squamous cell carcinoma. However, few studies on lung biopsy are done. Due to small size of lung biopsies and for the prevention of lung rebiopsy, in this study P63 staining intensity between re-cut and de-stained slides of patients, specimens with lung cancer is researched. This cross section study was performed on 100 patient specimens with lung cancer. We compared p63 staining intensity between re-cut and de-stained sections in lung cancer through 2 month intervals, until the 10th. Month after lung biopsy by immuno-histochemistry methods. Chi-square test was used for comparing the differences and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Technical tissue fall in the slide was not seen. 93.93 % of SCC was stained by p63. None of small cell carcinoma was stained by p63. In the first 2 months, 53.34% of de-stained sections had similar staining intensity, compared with re-cut sections, and 46.66% were decreased in staining intensity and none of them were negative. During 2 to 10 months of storing, 38.98% of de-stained sections had similar staining intensity, 45 (77%) were decreased in staining intensity, while 15.25% were negative. With respect to results of this study and other studies, staining of p63 on re-cut and de-stained sections of lung cancer specimens in the first two months can be helpful. However, in the specimens which were stored for more than 2 months, we found no significant results.