HER2 Gene Overexpression Found in Array of Cancers Beyond Breast Cancer
IRVING, TX, June 06, 2011 — Caris Life Sciences™, Inc., a leading biosciences company focused on enabling precise and personalized healthcare through the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic services, announced today that its recent research highlights the clinical utility of HER2 biomarker expression testing for a wide range of tumor types beyond breast cancer tumors. The publication, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, coincides with the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) Annual Meeting and is titled Frequency and distribution of HER2 overexpression in advanced malignancies.
Testing for HER2 has revolutionized the management of HER2 positive breast cancer, as well as gastro-esophageal cancers. In the study, Caris Life Sciences investigators reported HER2 protein and FISH alterations in over 11,000 patients. Expression of HER2 was evaluated in a wide array of cancers and 27 different tumor types. Using standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) and FISH tests, the study showed that HER2 protein is frequently overexpressed and the HER2 gene amplified in tumors other than the typical and expected breast tumors, gastric tumors and gastro-esophageal tumors. Preliminary observations indicated that the frequency of HER2 by IHC is highest in breast (68.6%), colorectal (7.2%), ovarian (5.4%), gastro-esophageal (4.5%), lung (3.1 %), pancreatic (1.3%) and gastric (1.3%) cancers. In these same tumor types, frequency of HER2 by FISH is highest in breast (46.0%) followed by ovarian (12.7%), lung (8.3 %), gastro-esophageal (6.7%), gastric (4.8%), pancreatic (4.0%) and colorectal (3.2%) cancers.
“HER2 testing has revolutionized the management of breast cancer through administration of targeted anti-HER2 therapies. The frequency of HER2 biomarker overexpression in a broad array of cancers further supports inclusion of HER2 testing when making therapy decisions about HER2-targeted therapy. Further, these targeted therapies may prove valuable in treating a much wider array of tumor types,” said Dr. Raheela Ashfaq, medical director of oncologic pathology and the lead author of the abstract. “Consistent with our mission of advancing the current understanding of various biomarkers and the potential role of molecular diagnostics in cancer therapy decision support, we have found that HER2 over expression is present in a wider array of cancers than previously understood — a finding that will help physicians and patients select the more effective cancer therapies for their patients.”
The Caris Target Now evidence-based molecular profiling service matches information from the individual tumor’s genetic profile with data included in the nearly 100,000 published clinical studies reviewed by Caris’ evidence team. Caris Target Now then provides a custom report indicating which available chemo, biologic, and hormone therapies are most likely to be effective and those that are likely to be ineffective for that patient’s tumor. Caris Target Now emerged last year as the world’s most comprehensive and actionable tumor profiling service, with approximately 20,000 patients profiled to date. Further information on HER2 biomarker overexpression and molecular profiling, as well as a sample Caris Target Now report can be found at www.ThinkBiomarkers.com.
About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences, a leading biosciences company, specializes in the development and commercialization of the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic technologies, in the fields of oncology, dermatopathology, hematopathology, gastrointestinal pathology and urologic pathology. The company provides academic-caliber consultations for thousands of patients a day, through its industry-leading team of expert, subspecialty pathologists. Caris also offers advanced molecular analyses of patient samples through prognostic testing services and genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiling to assist physicians in their treatment of cancer. Currently, Caris is developing a series of blood tests utilizing the patented Carisome™ platform – a proprietary, blood-based testing technology for diagnosis, prognosis, and theranosis of cancer and other complex diseases. The company is headquartered in the Dallas metroplex, and operates laboratories at the headquarters, as well as in the Phoenix and Boston metro areas.

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