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Serum test good diagnostic tool?

Page last modified on: November 20, 2008
Question from WSB: A presentation at SABCS showed that lapatinib may be effective whether or not serum levels of HER2 marker are low or high. Does this make this serum test useless as a diagnostic or monitoring tool for lapatinib treatment? Any comments about this test regarding Herceptin treatment?
Answers —Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H.: It is always helpful to find a way to predict who will benefit the most from treatment, and we certainly are encouraged when such a test exists with a treatment such as lapatinib. The fact that the circulating blood test that you refer to in this one trial did not predict response does not mean that this test isn't helpful. It appears that this test is helpful in predicting who might respond to Herceptin.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: As we move along, we also want to learn how the different tests for the HER2 gene compare in their reliability and accuracy and ability to predict response to treatment. We have a lot of work to do in that arena (correlating tests of the HER2 gene and protein in blood as well as in the cancer tissue itself).
Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H.: Different groups of scientists and physician experts are working very hard to make these methods uniform across different laboratories, so that your test results, whether the test is on you or your tumor, won't be dependent on where you have your care.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: When tests become more uniform from hospital to hospital, state to state, country to country, then women will be better able to understand what the results of a clinical trial mean for her—if that trial is coming from her own back yard or from a place around the world. It's important for clinical trials to have reliable measures of different cancer characteristics, as well as unique personal characteristics in each patient. We will make a lot more progress when there is such standardization of important test results.

On Wednesday, December 20, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Updates from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2006. Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about the newest research on breast cancer treatment, side effects, risk of recurrence, and more.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H.Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer, with a a special interest in cancer survivorship, patient-physician communication, and quality of care for women with breast cancer.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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