Generous Donor Supports Diagnostic Equipment Crucial for Timely Cancer Care

We all know the Emergency Department is busy. But did you know that the clinical lab tucked away directly below Emerg is just as busy? There are about 180 lab professionals working in Laboratory Services at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, performing over 7,500 tests per day.

There are multiple departments within the lab including Microbiology, Chemistry, and Blood Bank. Pathology is another. This is where lab techs examine tissue samples such as breast, lung, and liver for biopsy received from the Operating Room (OR) and other areas of the Hospital. If the oncologists or pathologists are testing for cancer, often they order cancer biomarker testing using a device called an ImmunoHistoChemical (IHC) Stainer.

The IHC Stainer is a remarkable piece of equipment. Lab techs place thin sections of tissue onto microscope slides. Then, they add a “stain” to the sample, which contains specific antibodies that will react with cancer cells, before putting the slides into the IHC Stainer for incubation and processing. Not only does the test confirm whether or not cancer cells are present, specific biomarkers in those cells can tell oncologists a lot about the type of cancer.

For example, “breast cancer” isn’t one disease but a group of diseases. Some types of breast cancer respond well to chemotherapy while others do not. Oncologists use biomarker information to develop the best treatment plan for that patient.

The Hospital has two IHC Stainers in order to keep up with current volumes. Both run at full capacity, daily. But one of these units was getting older and at greater risk of breaking down. If that happened, turnaround time for results and diagnosis would have been delayed.

“We require two units due to increased volumes,” said Donna Kane (pictured), Lead Medical Laboratory Technologist in Histotechnology/Pathology at the Hospital. “Our team works constantly to get results to physicians as soon as possible for patient care.”

Troubleshooting issues with an IHC Stainer is complex and shipping samples to southern Ontario is not ideal due to risks and delays. It’s important that Laboratory Services keeps equipment up to date so that all samples can be tested on site.

“One of our stainers was antiquated and at risk of failure. That could cause delays in diagnosis and treatments, which can adversely affect patient outcomes,” said Georgia Carr, Manager of Laboratory Services & Medical Laboratory Technologist. “Accurate results and quick turnaround times rely on efficient lab equipment.”

Thanks to a recent anonymous donation to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, a new IHC Stainer is now up and running in the lab. This generous investment in equipment will collectively benefit healthcare staff and patients in Thunder Bay and the region with precise cancer diagnosis for better cancer care.

Cancer touches everyone, but one donation can make a life-saving difference. When we all support a meaningful cause, the possibilities are endless! Make your donation today, and let’s ensure that all patients in Northwestern Ontario can get the healthcare they need, closer to home.

Make your donation today at: healthsciencesfoundation.ca/donate