Effects of Degreasing Pretreatment on Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Analysis of Gastrointestinal and Breast Cancer Samples

Lymph node status is a key factor in determining stage, treatment, and prognosis in cancers. Small lymph nodes in fat-rich gastrointestinal and breast cancer specimens are easily missed in conventional sampling methods. This study examined the effectiveness of the degreasing pretreatment with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in lymph node detection and its impact on the analysis of clinical treatment–related proteins and molecules. Thirty-three cases of gastrointestinal cancer specimens from radical gastrectomy and 63 cases of breast cancer specimens from modified radical mastectomy were included. After routine sampling of lymph nodes, the specimens were immersed in DMSO for 30 minutes for defatting. We assessed changes in the number of detected lymph nodes and pN staging in 33 gastrointestinal cancer specimens and 37 breast cancer specimens. In addition, we analyzed histologic characteristics, Masson trichrome special staining, and immunohistochemistry (gastrointestinal cancer: MMR, HER2, and PD-L1; breast cancer: ER, PR, AR, HER2, Ki-67, and PD-L1). Molecular status was evaluated for colorectal cancer (KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and microsatellite instability) and breast cancer (HER2) in gastrointestinal cancer specimens and the remaining 26 breast cancer specimens. Compared with conventional sampling, DMSO pretreatment increased the detection rate of small lymph nodes (gastrointestinal cancer: P < .001; breast cancer: P < .001) and improved pN staging in 1 case each of gastric cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer (3/33; 9.1%). No significant difference in the morphology, special staining, protein, and molecular status of cancer tissue after DMSO treatment was found. Based on these results and our institutional experience, we recommend incorporating DMSO degreasing pretreatment into clinical pathologic sampling practices.