Herceptin Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Herceptin, including details on side-effects, breast cancer, treatment, therapy.

HER2 status in breast cancer--an example of pharmacogenetic testing.

Kroese M, Zimmern RL, Pinder SE

Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Strangeways Research Laboratory, Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK. mark.kroese@srl.cam.ac.uk

The development of new drugs and associated pharmacogenetic tests will provide an increasing number of challenges to health care systems. In particular, how to evaluate their benefits, prioritize for commissioning purposes and implement a service to provide them in a timely manner. This paper presents an overview of HER2 testing for trastuzumab (Herceptin) treatment in breast cancer cases. Immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization laboratory techniques are described and their HER2 testing performances are compared. Future options for the national provision of HER2 testing by the National Health Service in the UK are also discussed.

Published 3 July 2007 in J R Soc Med, 100(7): 326-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Herceptin Research Today. All Rights Reserved.