Training activity information
Details
With supervision from a consultant, interpret appropriate immunohistochemistry stains, which contribute to the final pathology report for the following pathologies:
- Skin cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Gynaecological cancer
- Breast cancer
- Urological cancer
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Local SOPs and/or proforma
- NICE guidance
- Cancer screening programme guidance
- Genomic test directory
- Tumour panels
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What specific immunohistochemical markers are commonly used for the listed pathologies?
- Are you familiar with the basic principles of immunohistochemistry and how staining patterns relate to cellular components?
- Do you have a foundational understanding of the histological features of the listed cancers?
- What are the expected staining patterns for key markers in these different cancer types?
- Do you know how to differentiate between positive and negative staining, and how to assess the intensity and distribution of staining?
- What specific insights do you hope to gain into the diagnostic and prognostic utility of immunohistochemistry in these cancers?
- How will this activity improve your ability to correlate immunohistochemical findings with histomorphology?
- What will you learn about the role of the consultant in guiding and validating your interpretation?
- Review relevant textbooks, journal articles, or online resources on immunohistochemistry in the listed cancer types.
- Discuss with your training officer which cases you will be reviewing and if there are specific markers or diagnostic dilemmas to focus on.
- Consider potential challenges in interpretation (e.g., ambiguous staining, technical artefacts) and think about how to approach these with your supervisor.
In action
- What specific features are you focusing on in the immunohistochemistry stains? Why are these features important for these pathologies?
- What are your initial thoughts on the diagnosis based on the staining patterns you are observing?
- Are there any areas of ambiguity or uncertainty in the staining? How are you addressing these?
- How are you integrating your existing knowledge of these cancers with the information from the immunohistochemistry stains?
On action
- What were the key immunohistochemical stains used for each of the reviewed pathologies?
- What were the significant staining patterns and their correlation with the specific cancers?
- What aspects of the interpretation required the most discussion with the consultant?
- How did interpreting these stains enhance your understanding of the diagnostic features of these cancers?
- Were there any staining patterns that were challenging to interpret?
- What did you learn from these challenges?
- How did the consultant’s guidance influence your interpretation?
- How did this activity connect with your existing knowledge of histology and cancer biology?
- What specific immunohistochemical markers will you pay closer attention to in future cases of these cancers?
- What further resources or learning materials will you use to improve your interpretation skills?
- How will you approach similar interpretation tasks in the future, considering the consultant’s input?
Beyond action
- How has your experience interpreting further immunohistochemistry stains for these or other pathologies, particularly in cases where the interpretation was more complex or nuanced, changed your view of your initial interpretations in this DTA?
- Reflecting on cases you have discussed in multidisciplinary team meetings, how has understanding the clinical context and implications of IHC findings altered your appreciation of your role in the diagnostic process during this DTA?
- How has this initial experience served as a building block for your increasing confidence and expertise in this area?
- Have you since encountered cases where the interpretation of immunohistochemistry directly impacted patient stratification or targeted therapies? How does reflecting on this DTA inform your understanding of the importance of accurate interpretation?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Interpret immunohistochemistry and molecular tests applied to malignant pathologies. |