Opinion

Video

Necessary Tests After a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Sara M. Tolaney, MD, MPH, states that all breast cancers should be tested for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors; HER2 testing involves an immunohistochemistry stain to quantify protein levels, with 3+ indicating HER2+ disease, 0 indicating HER2- disease, and 1-2+ levels needing additional FISH testing to clarify HER2 status.

Related Videos
Dr. Debu Tripathy discussed the importance of understanding the distinctions between HER2-low and HER2-ultralow breast cancer.
Dr. Debu Tripathy is a professor and chairman of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, and the editor-in-chief of CURE®.
Dr. Azka Ali is a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, in Ohio.
Dr. Maxwell Lloyd, a Clinical Fellow in Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
Dr. Maxwell Lloyd, a Clinical Fellow in Medicine, in the Department of Medicine, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
Dr. Aditya Bardia is a professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, director of Translational Research Integration, and a member Signal Transduction and Therapeutics, at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Image of a woman with light shoulder-length hair, wearing rectangular glasses.
Image of man with grey hair.
Image of woman with blonde hair.