TESTING FOR HER2

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends that all women diagnosed with breast cancer should have HER2 testing, which can be performed on cells of a tissue sample from a newly biopsied or stored tumor. HER2 testing can help predict how a tumor may behave.

FISH or fluorescence in-situ hybridization, a gene-based test, and IHC or immunohistochemistry, a protein-based test, are both used to identify women whose breast cancer cells carry too many copies of the HER2 gene.

The results of a HER2 test can give physicians insight into a woman's breast cancer and help them make more informed decisions about appropriate treatment options.

Women should ask their physician if a HER2 test has been done on their breast cancer and discuss the test results with their physician.

For additional information, download the "HER2-Positive Breast Cancer" brochure.