topo IIA test?

rosie · 10-01-2006, 02:34 AM

I saw this test in a post on one of the other subjects. ( chemo with DCIS ) Can someone explain what this test is for?
Thanks. You all are so knowledgeable!

Rose

janet11 · 10-01-2006, 08:27 AM

The topo ii test is still experimental, but it APPEARS that for those her2+ people needing chemo, it shows who is likely to respond to anthracycline and who might be better of on a different chemo drug.

http://www.breastcancer.org/research...in_012606.html

I'm one of the people who had the topo ii test. I'm highly HER2 positive (FISH score is 7), but for various reasons, my onc felt I should avoid anthracycline if possible. Because the topo ii test turned out negative indicating I wouldn't respond to anthracycline, I'm now on chemo with taxotere, carboplatin, and herceptin (TCH).

Janet
p.s. just corrected the name of anthracycline.... sorry if I confused anyone.

CPA · 10-01-2006, 09:15 AM

As I understand...

When a patient has a tumor that produces too many copies of the gene that regulates her2, they are said to be her2+. There are two types of tests to check for this abnormality

IHC - tests for the protein receptor created by the gene (not the gene itself)
FISH - tests for extra copies of the gene

TopoIIA is a neighboring gene that is often co-expressed with her2 (too many copies along with too many copies of her2 gene). The Topo2a test is similar to the her2 FISH test, except it looks for extra copies of the topo2a gene instead of the her2 gene.

You can search other threads for more info...

Jean · 10-01-2006, 01:18 PM

Rose,

The TOPO 11 test is a test to help you determine what type of chemo treatment to have. There is cardiotoxicity associated with A/C chemo
(anthracycline) . There was a study the BCIRG 006 study which did a
study on chemo which was none a/c..TCH was the chemo.
Docetaxel - this showed a high reduction in recurrance and had difference of 4%
when compared to the A/C

The test shows if you have the coamplified gene - if you are negative for the gene then the TCH would be a better choice for chemo.

Janet 11 and myself had the TOPO 11 test done and we were found to be negative and our chemo was TCH...

Jean