confused about Fish results

[LAURIE]

I just got a copy of my biopsy FISH report today and am confused about what it said. I looked at the resources available on evaluating the report but am still confused. Maybe some of you all can help a little. Here is what I don't understand

Her-2/neu: CEF-17 ratio: 7,8:1
Average her-2/neu count per cell 15.6
Mamimum her-2/neu count per cell 22
Average CEP-17 count per cell: 2.0
Cells counted: 25

This resulted in a Positive/ Amplified Interpertation which is explained as Results> 2.2 with an average Her-2 signal count of 4>copies/cell, and [referably >7 copies/cell in a majority of scored nuclei.

In all these numbers does it relate to my Ki-67?

[LAURIE]

anyone have ideas, was I not clear about what I was asking? I know I can ask my doc, but you all are like jello, fast, friendly and usually fail proof.

[Chelee]

Laurie, Believe me...someone here will have an answer for you. Possible Becky or a few others I can think of. They are probably just busy at the moment...but when they check in I am sure you will get a few replies.

Hang in there...help is on the way. http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/smile.gif

Chelee

[skeetur]

Her-2/neu: CEF-17 ratio: 7,8:1
Average her-2/neu count per cell 15.6
Mamimum her-2/neu count per cell 22
Average CEP-17 count per cell: 2.0
Cells counted: 25

The way I read it... they evaluated 25 cancer cells. The average HER-2/neu count was 15.6 per cell. Divide your average HER-2 by the average CEP-17 gives you the ratio. 15.6/2.0 is 7.8. So your ratio is 7.8:1. Anything over 2 is an overexpression of HER-2. (The max HER-2 they saw on any one cell was 22.)

I do not know the relationship between this and the Ki-67 score.

Skeetur

[CPA]

http://www.nccn.org/patients/fact_sheet.asp

Try this website. I think it might answer your questions.

[Lani]

It is considered a marker of proliferation...so even within tumors with her2 amplification there are those which multiply faster than others.

Hope this helps!