Bayer serum Test--San Antonio

[janet/FL]

Was there any mention of this test at San Antonio?
Janet

[RobinP]

No not that I could see from the abstracts; isn't that amazing.

[StephN]

YES!
There was a special session just for the advocate groups hosted by Bayer Healthcare and their partner DAKO. It was a 7a.m. deal and Christine and I went together to represent the HER2 group. Joe and Ginger went to another important breakfast meeting so we had to split up.

We had a presentation by Dr. Colomer from Spain who has done extensive research using this test. He explained it thoroughly. We also met the bigwigs from both companies who wanted to have some contact and feedback from us grassroots groups. There was a lot of discussion as to what they can do to help the patients have access and info on this test. I think we will see it in wider use as a result.

Dr. Walter Carney, who is the main developer of this test, was also at the meeting and most approachable. He had sent a PowerPoint presentation on this test to Joe who had it reproduced. Thus we had the CDs at our booth to pass along with all the other info. A lot of the docs who stopped by (from all parts of the world in fact) were quite interested by this idea of a blood screening and some took more than one copy of the CD to pass to collegues. Dr. Carney said he will send a list of the labs that he knows can provide the test. It should get posted.

There was one session on serum screening, but I think it may be another test in development. Can look it up later when I have time.

[janet/FL]

I would love to get that CD for my oncologist. I just gave him some info on the test and on the labs. He seems interested. Now I just need to convience him to give it!
Thanks
Janet

[RhondaH]

would like a copy for my onc, if possible. Thank you.

Rhonda Hoffman

[StephN]

Hi Rhonda and Janet -
You will have to put in your request for the CD to Joe - he has some left that were shipped back, but they will take a few days to get there.

Good luck!

[Yorkiegirl]

I would also if at all possible be able to have a copy of that CD as well for Onc.

I am more than happy to pay for it.

Vicki

[jhandley]

I would love a copy of this CD.
Jackie

[jsattaw]

I'd love a copy too and would be happy to offer to reproduce CDs (unless they're copyright protected, of course)!

Thanks!

Jill

[AlaskaAngel]

I am interested in this information too.

One question that I have about testing is in regard to specificity and sensitivity. From my reading, some serum tests indicate that the specificity is 95%, but the sensitivity varies by bc stage, being only 1.7% for stage I, 3% for stage II, 16.7% for stage III, and 35.5% for stage IV. I would like to know if this is true for the Bayer test as well.

AlaskaAngel

[Joe]

Alaska Angel,

There is a rather lengthy but informatine description of the test on our Articles of Interest section. Here is a link to it:

www.her2support.org/carney.pdf (http://www.her2support.org/carney.pdf)


Warmest Regards
Joe

PS: Enjoy yourself in Seattle. Steph is a marvelous person.

[Maryanne]

Please add me to the list of members wanting the CD for my onc. She knew nothing about this until last week when I questioned her on it. In the mean time I will go to the site you mentioned Joe, and download it for her.

Thanks, Maryanne

[Joe]

We have had the CD online for quite some time:

http://her2support.org/a/newher2_004.htm

Turn off any "popup" stoppers to view the presentation.

If anyone would like a copy to bring to their oncologists, email me your name and address and we will mail you one.

Regards
Joe

[RobinP]

I think the quantative her2 testing would naturally be less sensitive in early stage disease as less her2 would theoretically be shed and circulating in the ECD-extracellular domain, the blood.

The problem with her2 serum testing is that it is probably most sesitive at the time of diagnosis- prior or just at tumor removal when her2 is shedding into the serum. If you are testing it late, as you are AA, there probably will be none to minimal levels of her2 unless you have an unknown mets out there that is evidencing itself, pre-clinically before a known mets, by tumor shedding.

[AlaskaAngel]

I couldn't agree with you more, Joe! I need to explore the material that was posted by you before raising the question -- and my question was intended as a post to you but ended up attached to Steph's comments, regretfully. Steph has been wonderful to so many of us here, and I appreciate her efforts in going to Texas and in doing all that she can to support others, including ME.

In talking with the lab in Seattle that did my original path report, to try to find out how one might be tested here, I could not get a definite answer from them that the HER2 serum test they said they could do for me was the Bayer HER2 serum test, so that has had me puzzled. I did find what appears to be a different HER2 serum test and information about it, so I do want to try to figure out whether there is any disadvantage or advantage to being tested by one or the other. I am not interested in making things even MORE confusing, but at the same time I think it is important to be sure people know it if there actually is more than one test available for HER2 serum testing.

With sincere apologies to you and Steph,

AlaskaAngel

[StephN]

Hi AA -
No apology necessary!
Great to see you today and let you have a look around my "home away from home" at my cancer center.
There is more than one company out there with a HER2 serum test. But I do not know the particulars on the one not put out by Bayer.

The main thing to know is that the Bayer test is currently approved by the FDA (Big Brother AGAIN!) for metastatic patients, which is why Christine could have it so easily. The powers that be at Bayer are trying to get it into more general use, and have the two-pronged approach of networking with the patient advocate groups as well as the onclogical community by presenting some new or updated data to them.

From what I saw this is an accurate test and was impressed by the fact that these people also developed the CEA, CA27-29, PSA and other important marker tests.

[Gina]

the better...as a mets patient, I too have been able to get the test taken very regularly and find it to be VERY useful...when used with scans and intepreted together with the CA 27/29 and other blood work...THANKS to "the San Antonio GANG" for getting the word out.

Take care everybody,
Gina

[Kaye301]

I am also interested in the CD. In addition, if at all possible would like info about ordering/buying a CD for all the presentations at the conference. Thanks in advance Kaye301

[PatS]

Kaye - Here's a link to order the CD. http://www.sabcs.org/OrderInfo/Index.asp

[RobinP]

Thanks PatS for that link