During 2013, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) adopted an updated evidence-based guideline, “Recommendations for Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 Testing in Breast Cancer.”1 The updated guideline includes key points for doctors to discuss with patients regarding their breast cancer’s HER 2 status. The updated guideline:
- Recommends all patients with invasive breast cancer have HER 2 testing performed on tissue samples from the tumor;
- Has specific recommendations to help ensure that the highest-quality tissue sample is used and the test performance is optimized and standardized;
- Helps doctors interpret challenging cases;
- Encourages that testing is performed in an accredited laboratory that follows standards set for accreditation by CAP or an equivalent accreditation authority.
Reference
1. Wolff AC, Hammond MEH, Hicks DG, et al. Recommendations for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Testing in Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists Clinical Practice Guideline Update. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014;138:241–256; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2013-0953-SA.