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IHC vs FISH
From Breastcancer.org
There are two tests for HER-2:
- IHC test (IHC stands for ImmunoHistoChemistry)
- The IHC test shows if there is too much HER-2 receptor protein in the cancer cells.
- The results of the IHC test can be 0 (negative), 1+ (negative), 2+ (borderline), or 3+ (positive).
- FISH test (FISH stands for Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization)
- The FISH test shows if there are too many copies of the HER-2 gene in the cancer cells.
- The results of the FISH test can be "positive" (extra copies) or "negative" (normal number of copies).
Find out which test for HER-2 you had. This is important. Only cancers that test IHC "3+" or FISH "positive" will respond well to therapy that works against HER-2. An IHC 2+ test result is called borderline. If you have a 2+ result, you can and should ask to have the tissue tested with the FISH test.
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Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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