Search Specimen Collection Manual
Breast Tissue Specimens
See Specimen Submission Instructions for test requisition, specimen labeling and specimen packaging requirements.
Specimen Requirements
- The entire specimen must be submitted in 10% neutral buffered formalin fixative.
- The time the specimen was collected and the time placed in fixative must be recorded on the requisition.
- Excisional, incisional, core and mastectomies must fix in formalin for at least six (6) hours and no more than 72 hours for optimal results.
- Formalin containers must have a formalin hazard label on the outside of the container.
- The amount of formalin should be twenty (20) times the volume of the specimen.
Additional Information
Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2-neu), and Ki67 may be performed on any tissue, but most common on breast specimens with carcinoma.