HER2 Status Determination

Abstract

Misdiagnosis in the evaluation of HER2 status in breast cancer may have consequent negative impact on clinical decision-making. Therefore, it has become ever more important to share procedures and interpretation criteria for HER2 testing among laboratories. Herein, we report an interlaboratory survey among 9 hospitals located in the central-south regions of Italy. The centers sent a series of 36 slides, 4 for each HER2 score, to the revising centers. We found a good concordance in HER2 scoring for 0 and 3+ score, but a very low concordance for 1+ and 2+ scores. To focus on factors that may lead to discordant results, we report 4 cases which summarized the most common source of discrepancy in HER2 testing. This methodological approach will help the individual laboratory to minimize technical variables and to reduce the percentage of erroneous interpretations of HER2 status.

Breast Cancer Aptamers: Current Sensing Targets, Available Aptamers, and Their Evaluation for Clinical Use in Diagnostics

“…Identifying breast cancer as HER2-positive allows for targeted treatment and has been shown to improve survival rates compared to nontargeted treatment [100,101]. Multiple antibody assays are currently in use for HER2 detection, but many require specialized personnel to operate, leading to difficulties in quality assurance [102]. Many aptamers for HER2 exist [30,57]; for simplicity, they are herein divided by their specific target proteins.…”