[Protein expression of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in HNPCC: evaluation of a prescreening method]

Abstract

We show that immunohistochemistry for hMSH2 and hMLH1 is an easy and reproducible routine procedure. The interpretation of the staining results is unequivocal and investigator-independent. It is now necessary to validate the specificity and sensitivity of the method in a multicenter study with tumors of known mutations. As a consequence perhaps MIN testing may be replaced by immunohistochemistry as a first-line pretesting for HNPCC, reducing cost and time required.