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Getting HER2 Tested

HER2 Breast Cancer Testing

Women who are uncertain of their cancer's HER2 status should talk to their doctor. HER2+ breast cancer is aggressive, so it is important to find out your cancer's HER2 status. This can help your doctor choose which treatments may be right for you.

HER2 testing is performed with the tumor sample removed during surgery or using a needle.

There are two types of tests available to determine HER2 status: Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and ImmunoHistoChemistry (IHC).

  • A FISH test checks to see whether or not the cancer cells have a normal number of HER2 genes. Using a special microscope the pathologist looks at cancer cells to see how many HER2 genes there are compared with some other normal genes
  • An IHC test measures how much HER2 protein there is on the surface of the cancer cells. The test is scored on a scale of 0 to 3+

Accurate testing is important; your pathology report may contain inconclusive results. Sometimes one test may not be enough to determine with certainty whether your tumor is HER2+. Ask your doctor to discuss the results of your pathology report, explain how your tumor's HER2 status was determined, and to let you know whether another test may be necessary.



Herceptin® (trastuzumab)Herceptin® (trastuzumab)

Adjuvant Care Is defined as additional treatment given after the main treatment plan to decrease the chance of recurrence. Adjuvant therapy for breast cancer can include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy, or biological therapy

Metastatic Breast Cancer Breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body; also referred to as invasive or infiltrating

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