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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Building Up a High-throughput Screening Platform to Assess the Heterogeneity of HER2 Gene Amplification in Breast Cancers
Published on: December 5, 2017
Testing for HER2 in Breast Cancer: A Continuing Evolution
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Abstract:
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an important prognostic and predictive factor in breast cancer. HER2 is overexpressed in approximately 15%-20% of invasive breast carcinomas and is associated with earlier recurrence, shortened disease free survival, and poor prognosis. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) a "humanized" monoclonal antibody targets the extracellular domain of HER2 and is widely used in the management of HER2 positive breast cancers. Accurate assessment of HER2 is thus critical in the management of breast cancer. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of HER2 with reference to its discovery and biology, clinical significance, prognostic value, targeted therapy, current and new testing modalities, and the interpretation guidelines and pitfalls.
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