A Review of Preanalytical Factors Affecting Molecular, Protein, and Morphological Analysis of Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Tissue: How Well Do You Know Your FFPE Specimen?

Based on the literature evidence, the molecular, proteomic, and morphological endpoints can be altered in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens by suboptimal processing conditions. While the direction and magnitude of effects associated with a given preanalytical factor were dependent on the analyte (DNA, RNA, protein, and morphology) and analytical platform, acceptable conditions are highlighted, and a summary of conditions that could preclude analysis is provided.