TESTING FOR HER2neu

Yogi70

TESTING FOR HER2neu

Yogi70

I'm just curious, does anyone know when testing for her2neu began?

AnnNYC

Hi yogi,

your question made me curious, too.

This article (http://www.surgicalroundsonline.com/issues/articles/2006-07_03.asp) says "testing for her2neu was not routine" between 1998 and 2002.  The role of her2neu in breast cancer was first described in 1994, I think.  I'm just reading between the lines of this article, but I guess a test was developed by 1998 but not standard until 2002?

Lcharmie

HI YOGI

I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER NOV.1998 AND THEY DONE STANDARD PROCEDURE OF ADRAMYCIN AND CYTOXIN, THEN TAXOL AND RADIATION.  MY START OF ALL THESE TREATMENTS WAS JAN. 1999.  I HAD READ ABOUT HERCEPTIN THEN, BUT MY ONCOLOGIST SAID NO.  THE CANCER RETUNED AGAIN IN 2002 AND THIS WAS WHEN THEY DONE THE TEST FOR HER2 AND I WAS POSITIVE---THEY TOLD ME THAT, THE TEST HAD NOT BEEN AVAILABLE HERE IN KANSAS WHEN I WAS FIRST DIAG.   SO I AM THINKING SOME WHERE NEAR 1998 TOO.  I OFTEN WONDER IF I WOULD HAVE HAD THE RECURRENCES HAD I BEEN ABLE TO HAVE HAD THAT TEST AND START HERCEPTIN THEN---ONE OF THOSE THINGS!!!

I AM GRATEFUL TO STILL BE HERE THATS' ALL!!!

LINDA C

Yogi70

Thanks Linda and Ann. I was just wondering because my onc. told me that she had been using herceptin for about 2 years on her patients who are her2neu pos.   My brother-in-law lost his wife to breast cancer when she was 32 and this was in 2002. I don't know her specifics but something he said about her treatment (and my recent dx) peaked my curioisity. I'm in Alabama and don't know when they started testing but I will ask my onc.  Thanks for the info.