Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
14:20

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?

Published on: June 13, 2014

Targeted therapy in breast cancer: the HER-2/neu gene and protein

Jeffrey S Ross1, Jonathan A Fletcher, Kenneth J Bloom

  • 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA. rossj@mail.amc.edu

Molecular & Cellular Proteomics : MCP
|February 6, 2004
PubMed

Insights

HER-2/neu testing is crucial for predicting breast cancer patient response to trastuzumab and other therapies. This review analyzes methods for measuring HER-2/neu status, aiding treatment decisions.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The HER-2/neu oncogene encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase implicated in breast cancer prognosis and therapy response.
  • HER-2/neu status influences treatment decisions, particularly for anti-HER-2 therapies like trastuzumab.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and compare various methods for measuring HER-2/neu in clinical breast cancer specimens.
  • To evaluate the predictive value of HER-2/neu status for response to trastuzumab, hormonal therapies, chemotherapy, and radiation.
  • To assess the utility of serum-based HER-2/neu testing for predicting outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 80 published studies involving over 25,000 patients.
  • Comparison of gene amplification detection methods (Southern blotting, PCR, FISH) with protein overexpression assays (IHC, EIAs).
  • Review of studies on HER-2/neu in ductal carcinoma in situ, uncommon breast conditions, and male breast cancer.

Main Results:

  • Various methods exist for HER-2/neu assessment, each with advantages and disadvantages.
  • HER-2/neu status is a key predictor for trastuzumab efficacy.
  • HER-2/neu testing also shows potential for predicting response to other breast cancer treatments.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate HER-2/neu testing is vital for personalized breast cancer therapy.
  • Understanding HER-2/neu status guides the selection of targeted therapies, improving patient outcomes.
  • Further research into serum-based testing may offer non-invasive predictive capabilities.

More Related Videos

Validated Immunochemical Assay for Comprehensive Determination of the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Released from and Bound to Cells08:28

Validated Immunochemical Assay for Comprehensive Determination of the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Released from and Bound to Cells

Published on: May 9, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...