Your cancer may be HER2-negative, HER2-positive, or HER2-low depending on the levels of the HER2 protein found on the surface of your cancer cells. Understanding your HER2 status is important for selecting the best treatment because drugs are available and prescribed based on your cancer’s HER2 status.
HER2 status may change over time. It may be helpful to have a conversation with your doctor about HER2 testing, including which tests to get and when. The most common tests are the IHC test and the FISH test. However, other tests may need to be developed to better identify people who will benefit from drugs according to their cancer’s HER2 status.
Read below to learn more about HER2 status in breast cancer, current testing options, and the future of HER2 testing.
HER2 Status and MBC
- Mayo Clinic: What is HER2-Positive Breast Cancer?
- National Cancer Institute: HER2 Status
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation: HER2-Low Breast Cancer Explained
- CureToday: New Way To Define Breast Cancer (HER2 Low) Opens Doors to Treat Previously-Missed Subtype of Patients
Current HER2 Testing
- American Cancer Society: Breast Cancer HER2 Status
- Breastcancer.org: HER2 Status
- Dr. Susan Love Foundation (Video): HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Testing and Treatment
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network (Video): Metastatic Breast Cancer Testing Explained
Future HER2 Testing
- Healio: New HER2 Assay May Be Needed to Guide Breast Cancer Treatment with Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (Enhertu®)
- Yale University: Improved Diagnostic Testing Needed to Guide HER2 Breast Cancer Treatment
HER2 Clinical Trials
- Metastatic Trial Search: Trials for People with HER2-Negative MBC
- Metastatic Trial Search: Trials for People with HER2-Positive MBC
- Metastatic Trial Search: Trials for People with HER2-Low MBC
- Solid Tumor Trials: Use Search Box to Find Trials for HER2-Negative, HER2-Positive, or HER2-Low
Last Modified on September 26, 2023