Can Her2 status be tested after the fact?

jadeblue

Hi. I am not totally sure where to post this question, but here goes:

I had a stereotactic biopsy 2/23 that revealed high-grade DCIS. The ER and PR were both negative and HER2 was not checked. Examination of THE SAME BIOPSY TISSUE SLIDES by a different hospital found microinvasion and classified cancer as T1mic. 

On 3/23 I had a lumpectomy which found no more invasion but I am still considered T1mic because of biopsy slides. Since they couldn't isolate any IDC they did not test HER2 status this time either. I met with my oncologist in the meantime and she believes this is likely triple neg, making the presence and precise quantity of invasion as well as the HER2 status extremely relevant.

The lumpectomy margins were not clean on 2 sides and I'm in process of scheduling BMX. I know there will be a whole new batch of pathology after this next surgery, but my question is whether it's possible to go back to the first or second batch of slides to test for HER2 status, or has that opportunity been lost?

I received insurance company approval yesterday to see a breast cancer oncology specialist in Boston (I live in rural Mass where medical care can be iffy) to review all three sets of pathology -- biopsy, lumpectomy, mastectomy -- and offer an opinion about whether adjuvant therapy or chemo is worthwhile. I know having the HER2 status would help. Is it worth asking them to test that with mastectomy even if only DCIS is found, or is that only relevant if they can sample the actual IDC?

Thanks all,
Jade

Deirdre1

Hi Jade, yes I had my tissue slides sent off to the lab 1 week after the biopsy.. so as long as there are tissue slides you can make the request.. I had mine done primarily because (4 years ago) it wasn't as routine to do HER2 tests but I wanted to make sure they could find the samples (not lost in the pathology lab somewher)  and if I left it 'til it was routine then the samples might just disappear..  Mine was negative but I quess I am surpised that yoru doc's didn't do a HER2 since you had microinvasions.. but since the doc's didn't make the request you certainly can... Good luck!!!  Deirdre