FISH [also called fluorescence in situ hybridization]

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This is a lab test that measures the amount of a certain gene in cells. It can be used to see if an invasive cancer has too many HER2 genes. A cancer with too many of these genes is called HER2-positive. If a cancer is HER2-positive, it may respond to Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab). This is a drug that can slow down or stop the growth of cancer with too many HER2 genes.

Read more about the FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) test.

Audio contributed by: Katie Couric