HRM analysis of cytological material was accurate for the detection of two major EGFR mutations and KRAS mutations in exon 2. HRM analysis was fast, easy to apply, cheap, highly reproducible, and could be used with small amounts of material, such as is obtainable with needle lavage. Therefore, it may be useful as an adjunct to the cytological report that yields valuable molecular information.

The formalin-free fixative produced not only satisfactory results for immunocytochemistry on cytological smears and cell blocks, but also excellent preservation of DNA and RNA, which can also be efficiently used for sophisticated molecular techniques.