Shipping Instructions

Whole blood, bone marrow aspirate, and body fluid specimens must arrive within 14 days of collection.

Specimen Required

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Specimen Type: Bone marrow aspirate

Container/Tube:

Preferred: Lavender or pink top (EDTA) or yellow top (ACD)

Acceptable: Green top (sodium heparin)

Specimen Volume: 2 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Invert several times to mix bone marrow.

2. Send bone marrow specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.

3. Label specimen as bone marrow.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred) 14 days/Refrigerate 14 days

Additional Information: To ensure minimum volume and concentration of DNA is met, the requested volume must be submitted. Testing may be canceled if DNA requirements are inadequate.

Specimen Type: Whole blood

Container/Tube:

Preferred: Lavender or pink top (EDTA) or yellow top (ACD)

Acceptable: Green top (sodium heparin)

Specimen Volume: 3 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Invert several times to mix blood.

2. Send whole blood specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.

3. Label specimen as blood.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred) 14 days/Refrigerate 14 days

Additional Information: To ensure minimum volume and concentration of DNA is met, the requested volume must be submitted. Testing may be canceled if DNA requirements are inadequate.

Specimen Type: Paraffin-embedded tissue

Container/ Tube: Paraffin block

Collection Instructions:

1. If available, send 1 representative hematoxylin and eosin-stained slide.

2. Minimum amount of tumor nuclei is 20%

3. Required amount of tissue area is at least 25 mm(2)

4. Tissue should be fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin. Other fixatives are not acceptable.

5. Decalcified specimens (eg, bone marrow core biopsies) are not acceptable.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient

Additional Information: If the quality of the biopsy specimen is poor or the target tumor cell population is below 20%, testing should not be ordered. Testing may be canceled if DNA requirements are inadequate.

Specimen Type: Tissue slide

Slides: 10 unstained slides

Container/ Tube: Transport in plastic slide holders.

Collection Instructions:

1. Send 10 unstained, nonbaked slides with 5-micron thick sections of tissue.

2. If available, also send 1 representative hematoxylin and eosin-stained slide.

3. Minimum amount of tumor nuclei is 20%

4. Required amount of tissue area is at least 25 mm(2)

5. Tissue should be fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin. Other fixatives are not acceptable.

6. Decalcified specimens (eg, bone marrow core biopsies) are not acceptable.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient

Additional Information: Testing may be canceled if resultant extracted DNA does not meet concentration requirements.

Specimen Type: Frozen tissue

Container/Tube: Plastic container

Specimen Volume: 100 mg

Collection Instructions: Freeze tissue within 1 hour of collection

Specimen Stability Information: Frozen

Additional Information: Testing may be canceled if resultant extracted DNA does not meet concentration requirements.

Specimen Type: Body fluid

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: 5 mL

Collection Instructions: Specify the type of fluid being submitted.

Specimen Stability Information: Refrigerated 14 days/Frozen 14 days

Additional Information: Testing may be canceled if resultant extracted DNA does not meet concentration requirements.

Specimen Type: Extracted DNA

Container/Tube: 1.5- to 2-mL tube

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. DNA must be extracted within 14 days after collection.

2. Label specimen as extracted DNA and source of specimen.

3. Indicate volume and concentration of DNA on label.

Specimen Stability Information: Frozen (preferred)/Refrigerated/Ambient

Additional Information: DNA must be extracted in a CLIA-certified laboratory or equivalent and must be extracted from a specimen type listed as acceptable for this test (including applicable anticoagulants). We cannot guarantee that all extraction methods are compatible with this test. If testing fails, one repeat will be attempted, and if unsuccessful, the test will be reported as failed and a charge will be applied.