Established practice is that no single immunohistochemical marker defines a diagnosis. Interpret each stain against the morphology, against the pattern and intensity expected, and with working positive and negative controls. Where a marker is non-specific, build a panel and decide in advance what counts as positive.
Write the scoring rule in the report when it matters, for example the proportion of cells and the intensity required, so the clinician and any second reader can see how the call was made.
- Check that controls worked before interpreting the case.
- Define what counts as a positive result before scoring.
- Use a panel when a marker has known mimics.
- State uncertainty in the report and recommend further testing where needed.
Why it matters
A confident-looking stain is often the step at which a misdiagnosis becomes final.
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