Specimen Collection

Specimen Requirements: 6 x slides of ~4 um thickness Paraffin embedded tissue. 1 x H&E stained slide with the area of interest marked. Requests for FISH HER2 testing: Requests for FISH testing can be made using the Diagnostic Genetics request form found on the Lab Plus website and Test Guide. All specimens sent must be accompanied by the following: Two forms of matching identification on both the slides and the form . If these do not match, LabPlus policy requires a specimen labelling error form to be sent to the clinician, and although the specimen may be processed, a result will not be released until the form is received back. A marked H+E slide with the area/s to be targeted If multiple areas are targeted, please indicate whether they need to be analyzed separately. An IHC HER2 slide with the area of highest intensity staining targeted if staining is not uniform A copy of the pathology report Additional relevant information . This includes whether the specimen has been decalcified or has undergone additional histological processing, areas of different morphology within the tumour sample, and the presence of more than one tumour within the sample. Failure to include relevant information may result in a reporting delay, as consultation with LabPlus pathologists may be required.

Turnaround Time: 5 days

Please note that all TAT's are working days i.e. Monday - Friday and exclude weekends and statutory holidays.

Assay Method

HER2 testing at Lab Plus is performed according to the following guidelines:

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Testing in Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists Clinical Practice Guideline Focused Update (2018) Wolff, A.C. et al . Journal of Clinical Oncology vol.36 (20) pp2105-2122.

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Algorithm for evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) genes by Wolff et al . (2018)

Diagnostic Use and Interpretation

HER2 FISH for gastric cancer follows a separate testing algorithm outlined by Bartley, A.N. 2016 HER2 Testing and Clinical Decision Making in Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma .Arch Pathol Lab Med Vol 140;1345-1363.

Contact Information

Pathologist contacts: Dr. Jan Serfontein 09 307-4949 ext 23538

FISH Team : 09 307-4949 ext 22007 or Diagnostic Genetics on ext 22008

Last updated at 15:07:40 17/07/2023