ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the value of screening hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) kindreds by detecting the expressions of hMLH1/hMSH2 with tissue microarray.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A tissue microarray with 22 colorectal cancers from HNPCC families and 15 sporadic colorectal cancers was established, and the expressions of hMLH1/hMSH2 were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expressions of hMLH1 or hMSH2 were negative in 15 of 22 HNPCC and 1 of 15 sporadic colorectal cancers in routine IHC. The expressions of hMLH1 or hMSH2 were negative in 17 of 22 HNPCC and 2 of 15 sporadic colorectal cancers in tissue microarray. The examination of hMSH2 expression yielded same results between routine IHC and tissue microarray. There were no difference on the hMLH1 expressions between routine IHC and tissue microarray.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Tissue microarray is a high-throughput way to detect the expressions of hMLH1/hMSH2 and is applicable to screen HNPCC kindreds.</p>