Conclusions: Immunostaining of whole organ serial sections of the larynx is feasible and will allow analysis of cellular alterations in the undisturbed anatomical context of whole organ serial sections of the larynx.
Objectives: Whole organ serial sections of the larynx have to date been used for conventional macroscopic evaluation of laryngeal tissues. The aim of this study was to establish a protocol for immunohistochemistry of whole organ sections of the larynx.
Materials and methods: Five laryngectomy specimens were obtained during surgery for advanced laryngeal carcinoma. Using a novel method for paraffin embedding, we chose the proliferation marker Ki-67 antigen as a model target for immunoreactivity on serial sections.
Results: We were able to produce whole organ serial sections that could then be immunostained for Ki-67. A complete mapping of proliferating cells throughout the tumour, at the tumour front and in skip lesions was subsequently obtained.