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Traditional tissue HER-2 testing provides information on the HER-2 status of primary breast cancer, but not recurrent metastatic disease. Thousands of women each year are diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. The Serum HER-2/neu Test from Siemens is the only FDA-cleared method for monitoring changes in HER-2 status, which may help guide therapeutic
decisions.^1-3

Ongoing, real-time assessment of disease status

In HER-2 positive breast cancer, the cancer cells have an abnormal number of HER-2/neu genes per cell, which leads to abnormally high levels of certain cancer-promoting proteins called oncoproteins. This causes the cancer cells to grow and divide quickly. HER-2 positivity has been shown to be an indicator of poor prognosis, higher probability of recurrence, and decreased overall survival. Traditional HER-2/neu testing has been generally limited to tissue from primary breast cancer and does not provide information regarding the HER-2/neu status at the time of recurrent metastatic breast cancer. It is used as a predictor of response to therapy but cannot monitor the real-time responses patients will go through during the clinical course of disease. With the Serum HER-2/neu test from Siemens, therapy personalization has entered its next phase—the real-time assessment of HER-2 status for all metastatic breast cancer patients.

More informed treatment decisions

Serum HER-2/neu from Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics is the first FDA-cleared blood test for measuring circulating HER-2/neu in patients with metastatic disease. Now oncologists can follow disease progression with a simple non-invasive procedure as part of a patient’s routine blood work-up. Decreasing levels of Serum HER-2/neu (<15 ng/ml) may indicate treatment response and disease stability. Increasing levels of Serum HER-2/neu (>15 ng/ml) may indicate disease progression.^1-3

According to Jean Pierre Lotz, Chief Medical Oncologist of the University Hospital in Paris, his "first experiences with measuring Serum HER-2/neu for metastatic breast cancer showed that after patients were given chemotherapy, if the treatment was working, serum levels would rapidly decrease in the first three to four weeks after treatment."

Coming soon: Serum HER-2/neu featured on the times square super sign

Each year there are 1.3 million new cases of breast cancer on a worldwide basis. 25% of these new cases are HER-2 positive, and a simple blood test could help physicians in making treatment decisions.^1-3 In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Siemens will feature Serum HER-2/neu on the Times Square Super Sign.

Key benefits of the ADVIA centaur Serum HER-2/neu test:

Real-time evaluation of tumor response with a minimally invasive procedure
Simple blood test that is reliable and easy to interpret
Personalized treatment and disease management
First FDA-cleared blood HER-2 test for metastatic breast cancer

^{References:

1. Schwartz MK, et al. International Journal of Biological Markers 2000;15(4):324.

2. Lipton A, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2002;20(6):1467.

3. Esteva FJ, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2002;20(7):1800.}