Didactics-HER2 Assessment in Gynecoligcal Malignancies

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This discussion focuses on the complexities of HER2 assessment from a pathologist's perspective, emphasizing its significance in cancer treatment. HER2 testing, crucial in breast cancer since trastuzumab's 1998 approval, expanded to gynecological cancers, like gastric and endometrial, influencing treatment outcomes. HER2, encoded on chromosome 17, is vital for targeting in cancer treatments, with protocols varying across sites, demanding pathologists’ expertise in IHC and in-situ hybridization interpretation. The talk underscores challenges in HER2 testing due to staining heterogeneity, pre-analytical difficulties, and lack of universal standards. Advances like NGS show discordances with traditional methods, complicating consistent reporting. Clinicians are advised to consult closely with pathologists to understand methodologies, aiming for comprehensive reports that consolidate biomarker data, which is crucial for effective patient management and treatment decisions.

Asset Subtitle

Anna Plotkin
November 2024

Keywords

HER2 assessment

cancer treatment

pathologist expertise

biomarker data

treatment outcomes