Ordering Guidance

Multiple oncology (cancer) gene panels are available. For more information see Oncology Somatic NGS Testing Guide.

Necessary Information

Pathology report (final or preliminary), at minimum containing the following information, must accompany specimen in order for testing to be performed:

1. Patient name

2. Block number-must be on all blocks, slides and paperwork (can be handwritten on the paperwork)

3. Tissue collection date

4. Source of the tissue

Specimen Required

This assay requires at least 10% tumor nuclei.

-Preferred amount of tumor area with sufficient percent tumor nuclei: tissue 144 mm(2)

-Minimum amount of tumor area: tissue 36 mm(2)

-These amounts are cumulative over up to 10 unstained slides and must have adequate percent tumor nuclei.

-Tissue fixation: 10% neutral buffered formalin, not decalcified

-For specimen preparation guidance, see Tissue Requirement for Solid Tumor Next-Generation Sequencing in Special Instructions. In this document, the sizes are given as 4mm x 4mm x 10 slides as preferred: approximate/equivalent to 144 mm(2) and the minimum as 3mm x 1mm x 10 slides: approximate/equivalent to 36mm(2).

Preferred:

Specimen Type: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue

Container/Tube: Tissue block

Collection Instructions: Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue block.

Acceptable:

Specimen Type: FFPE Tissue

Slides: 1 Stained and 10 unstained

Collection Instructions: Submit 1 slide stained with hematoxylin and eosin and 10 unstained, nonbaked slides with 5-micron thick sections of the tumor tissue.

Specimen Type: Cytology slide (direct smears or ThinPrep)

Slide: 1 to 3 slides

Collection Instructions: Submit 1 to 3 slides stained and coverslipped with a preferred total of 5000 nucleated cells or a minimum of at least 3000 nucleated cells.

Note: Glass coverslips are preferred; plastic coverslips are acceptable but will result in longer turnaround times.

Additional Information: Cytology slides will not be returned.