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Immunohistochemistry
There are two Immunohistochemistry laboratories that support the Diagnostic Cytopathology services. One is situated on the ground floor of the Clinical Sciences Building at Wythenshawe and the other is within the Adult Histology laboratory, Clinical Sciences Building first floor at Oxford Road.
We currently house automated Ventana BenchMark Ultra staining machines which we use to carry out our routine clinical work. We currently hold a repertoire of over 90 antibodies, listed on our Antibody Repertoire List and are enrolled in the UKNEQAS ICC quality assurance scheme.
Any clinician wishing to request specific immunohistochemistry antibody markers should discuss this with the reporting pathologist. It is not appropriate to contact the laboratory directly to request IHC.
TopSpecialised testing
The laboratory performs the following specialised tests for patients accessing Cytopathology services at MFT as well as referral tests for hospitals within Greater Manchester and wider regions;
- PD-L1 (lung cancer)
- ALK (lung cancer)
Our full scope of UKAS accredited tests can be found on the UKAS website – accreditation licence number 8648.
TopReferrals
The laboratory on occasion refers material (paraffin embedded blocks or stained slides) to the Manchester Haematological Cancers Diagnostic Partnership. This is a joint partnership between Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and the Christie Hospital for confirmation and classification of lymphomas and to the Christie Hospital for opinion and/or confirmation of pathology in a small number of cases.
Material may also be referred to Saint Mary’s Genetics department for Genetic/molecular testing which quotes a 10-day turnaround time for results. This includes EGFR, BRAF and KRAS.
The department regularly receives requests for expert/second opinion from other hospitals.
A very small number of cases are referred to other Specialist Cytopathologists/Histopathologists for expert second opinion or review and in response to service pressures. The following are the most used:
| Type | Address |
| Lymphomas | Via the HCD partnership with The Christie. |
| Reporting/Vacancy cover | Source Bioscience, 1 Orchard Place, Business Park, Nottingham, NG8 6PX |
| Reporting/Vacancy cover | Diagnexia, Science Park Centre, 6 Babbage Way, Exeter Science Park, Clyst Honiton, Exeter, EX5 2FN |
| Preparation of samples | Cellular Pathology Services, Unit 12, Orbital 25 Business Park, Dwight Road, Watford, WD18 9DA |
| Genetics | Manchester Centre for Genetic Medicine, 6th Floor, St Mary’s Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL |
Manchester Cancer Research Centre Tissue Bank
The Manchester Cancer Research Centre is an initiative to collect and bank tissue samples from cancers to facilitate research. The project started collecting in April 2008. To contact the team please ring 0161 446 3659.
Top (Last reviewed February 2025)