Understanding HER/neu results

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Good evening to you all
I’so sorry for having to ask so many questions these days regarding my new dx.
I am thinking over and over again about my her+. I have read that those who are her+ are considered negative for HER and that those with ++ and +++ are the positive ones. Does anyone got any info about this? i read my biopsy report by chance and it seems i’m among the first ones.
Hope anybody could help ne with this. This waiting kills me.

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Sorry everdream, that you are here with us all, I don’t know about your query but have you tried having a chat with your BC nurse? Mine are fantastic, ring them today and ask, that’s what they are there for. It’s horrible all this waiting isn’t it, drives you crazy, but you are in good company here, take care and I hope you get some answers soon . Pattyp x

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Hi everdream, My test came back ++ and was sent for another test called a FISH test this came back as negative. This is from Macmillan website, hope it helps.

The two main methods used for HER2 testing are immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH):

Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) can show how much of the HER2 protein is present in the tumour sample. The HER2 level is graded from 0 to 3+.

  • 0–1+ means that a normal amount of the HER2 protein is present and the result is HER2-negative
  • 2+ means that a moderate amount of the HER2 protein is present
  • 3+ means that there is a higher than normal level of HER2 protein and the result is HER2-positive.

When a tumour is scored at 2+, UK testing guidelines recommend that a further test is carried out. This is because a result of 2+ does not always mean a cancer cell has a high level of HER2. In this situation, an extra test (FISH) is used to give a definite result.

Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH)

Whereas IHC measures the level of HER2 protein in the tumour sample, FISH testing measures the amount of the HER2/neu gene in each cell. This gene is responsible for the overproduction of the HER2 protein.

There is no number scale for FISH testing. The result is either:

  • FISH-negative – normal levels of the gene are present, or
  • FISH-positive – excessive amounts of the gene are present. This is sometimes called gene amplification

Best wishes melxx