What if my report mentions HER2/neu?
Some breast cancers (about 15 – 20%) have on the surface of the cancer cells a protein called HER2/neu. HER2/neu is a special test done by pathologists that is predictive of both the prognosis and the response of breast cancer to certain types of therapy. HER2neu is usually first tested in breast cancer using a technique called immunohistochemistry (IHC) and typically reported as 0 (negative), 1+ (weakly positive), 2+ (moderately positive), and 3+ (strongly and diffusely positive). In certain cases the results with IHC are considered equivocal and a more precise, yet also more complicated and expensive, test is performed. This test is called fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or in situ hybridization (ISH). If the protein is present, your treating physician may choose a different set of drugs to treat the breast cancer. How the results of your tests will affect your therapy is best discussed with your treating physician.
