HER2 Positive Breast Cancer (Targeted Therapy)
HER 2 stands for Human Epidermal growth factor receptor 2. It is a protein that is involved in supporting normal cell growth.
Some women have breast tumors with higher levels of protein known as HER2 therefore called HER2 positive breast cancers. Twenty percent (20%) of breast cancer cases are HER2 positive indicative of poorer prognosis and cancer cells divide faster.
However, HER2 positive breast cancer are likely to benefit from treatment with drugs known as Herceptin which is effective in slowing down the growth and spread of the Her2 +ve cancer cells but blocking its production.
Breast cancer tissue will be tested with immunohistochemistry stain (IHC) to identify the HER2 protein and Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH / SISH test) to guide treatment therapy.
Credit source : Roche
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