title: Determination of HER2 gene status by fully automated fluorescence microscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in HER2 amplification in response rates to trastuzumab therapy and both taxane and anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 400 tumor sections were analyzed over an 8-month period. The sections were hybridized with probes for the HER2 gene and chromosome 17 centromere using standard FISH methods and analyzed on an automated fluorescence microscopy system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reliable and valid methods for identification of the patients that will respond to treatment with trastuzumab are needed in order to achieve maximum therapy efficacy and maintain cost efficiency. FISH-based analysis is potentially an objective and reproducible approach to determination of HER2 gene status; however, manual FISH counting is a laborious task and subject to inter and intraobserver variability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The system described in this paper is a valuable tool in providing a consistent approach to the interpretation of breast tumor tissue analyzed by FISH analysis. In addition to consistency, an automated system provides a record of the images produced that can be of immediate benefit in multiple review of a difficult or equivocal case and long-term benefit in terms of providing a permanent case record.
authors: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York 12208, USA.
authors: Michael W
authors: MW
authors: Kilpatrick
authors: Christine E
authors: CE
authors: Sheehan
authors: William A
authors: WA
authors: Marganski
authors: Triantafyllos
authors: T
authors: Tafas
authors: Merrill S
authors: MS
authors: Ross
authors: Jeffrey S
authors: JS
authors: Ross
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases