This advance allows Formosa‘s public health to continue growing in quantity and quality of services for a better approach to cancer.
“In the last month, we managed to expand the number of immunohistochemistry techniques that together make up a panel, with the markers or antibodies that we have, which can be used individually or in combination,” explained the head of the Pathological Anatomy Service of the Evita Interdistrict Hospital. , Dr. Constanza Nobili.
The provincial government, through the Ministry of Human Development, put the immunohistochemistry area into operation at the hospital in December 2023, with the installation of state-of-the-art equipment, unique in Formosa.
“At that time, we started with four markers and today we already have 16 available,” said the specialist.
He made it known that from the beginning “we had been applying it in breast cancer and now, thanks to the incorporation of more markers, we can now do it in lung cancer, HPV-related tumors, also metastases of unknown origin.”
“In addition, we can classify whether it is melanoma, which is the most malignant skin cancer, or some other type of tumor,” he added.
He gave as an example that “for lung cancer I can use three of those markers, that already makes up a panel because there are several of them. That is, I can combine more than one marker to define, to give a name and surname, let’s say, to a certain tumor, to be able to give the patient a more precise treatment.”
He indicated that immunohistochemistry is another service within the Pathological Anatomy and Cytology Service. It is intended for the study of tissue from biopsies and surgical specimens and among other great benefits “it enables greater specificity in the treatment of oncological pathologies.”
In relation to the procedure, he commented that the team analyzes the samples and makes the markings that are subsequently placed in the microscope “and the pathologist makes the interpretation to make the diagnosis of tumors, as well as to perform treatments based on the results, especially, of an oncological nature.”
He recalled that, previously, the samples were sent to Buenos Aires “and now we can do it in our province, giving a faster response to our patients.”
In turn, this shortens waiting times for oncological treatments, “something that is essential,” he stressed, highlighting that it adds to the great work done at the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy.
Completely free service
The doctor highlighted that, like the others provided by the Evita Interdistrict Hospital, “it is a completely free service”, which is provided to patients who are referred by the providers of the entire Health Network of the province.
He indicated that the results obtained by combining more markers “guide the oncologist to give the patient a targeted therapy that is or is done today” and “because immunohistochemistry is a complementary study to the result of a biopsy, to be able to give the best therapy for a patient, taking into account that nowadays we no longer talk about diseases, but about patients with diseases, within what we call precision medicine. Considering that what may be good for one person may not be good for another.”
This allows us to continue moving towards a more accurate diagnosis “so that the cancer patient receives the drug, chemotherapy or immunotherapy that they really need and that works for them. That is, to determine the best treatment that can be followed,” he stated.
