What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a disease in which atypical breast cells grow intensely to form tumors. Breast cancer starts inside the milk ducts and/or its lobules. The earliest stage is in situ (e.g. ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)), but if left unchecked, breast cancer can spread and become life-threatening (1). Breast cancer is complexified not only by its staging, but also by the presence of specific proteins / genes often detected with a tissue or liquid biopsy (e.g. estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), HER2, and more) (2). ER, PR, and HER2 testing should also be performed using methodologies outlined in guidelines (3, 4, 5).

Cerba Research offers a wide range of histopathology and biomarker solutions that can be detected with cutting-edge techniques. Get in touch to learn more.

 

Cerba Research Breast Cancer Services

Our Experience In The Breast Cancer Landscape

DNA

638

NGS broad-panel assay with our OncoSign 600+

50

Genes with OncoSign ctDNA panel

250+

Histopathology analysis with markers such as ER, PR, HER2 run in CLIA accredited laboratories

3

Techniques for HER2 IHC: HercepTest, HER2-NEU, HER2-CISH

Our Areas Of Expertise In Breast Cancer

Did you know that we can cover for your breast cancer biomarker needs? Check out our mapping exercise by select breast biomarkers against our Cerba Research offerings with three techniques (NGS, IHC, FISH) (3, 4). Interested in artificial intelligence (AI) image analysis for your breast cancer trial? Check out our resources here.

What Are Breast Cancer Guidelines Proposing? Aligned With Cerba Research Offerings

Breast Cancer Biomarkers Most Commonly Deployed Additional Assay(s) Cerba Research NGS† Cerba Research IHC† Cerba Research FISH†
HER2 IHC ISH (reflex), FISH (reflex) X X X
ER IHC X
PR IHC X
PD-L1 IHC (22C3 Ab) X (clones, 22C3, SP142, SP263, multiplexed)
Ki67 IHC X
PKI3CA NGS, PCR, liquid biopsy X
NTRK fusions NGS, FISH, PCR X X
TMB-H NGS X
MSI-H/dMMR NGS, IHC, PCR X X
BRCA1/ BRCA2 Germline sequencing X
RET fusions NGS X
ESR1 NGS, PCR ddPCR X

dMMR=mismatch repair deficient; ESR1=estrogen receptor 1; FISH=fluorescence in situ hybridization; IHC=immunohistochemistry; ISH=in situ hybridization; MSI-H=microsatellite instability-high; NGS=next-generation sequencing; PCR=polymerase chain reaction; TMB-H=tumor mutational burden-high

HER2 Expression In Breast Cancer

References

1. World Health Organization: Breast cancer. URL [Breast cancer (who.int)].

2. American Cancer Society®: What is breast cancer? URL [What Is Breast Cancer? | American Cancer Society].

3. Wolff AC, Hammond MEH, Allison KH, Harvey BE, Mangu PB, Bartlett JMS, Bilous M, Ellis IO, Fitzgibbons P, Hanna W, Jenkins RB, Press MF, Spears PA, Vance GH, Viale G, McShane LM, Dowsett M. Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Testing in Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists Clinical Practice Guideline Focused Update. J Clin Oncol. 2018 Jul 10;36(20):2105-2122. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2018.77.8738. Epub 2018 May 30. PMID: 29846122.

4. National Comprehensive Cancer Network®: NCCN guidelines, treatment by cancer type. URL [Treatment by Cancer Type (nccn.org)].

5. Allison KH, Hammond MEH, Dowsett M, McKernin SE, Carey LA, Fitzgibbons PL, Hayes DF, Lakhani SR, Chavez-MacGregor M, Perlmutter J, Perou CM, Regan MM, Rimm DL, Symmans WF, Torlakovic EE, Varella L, Viale G, Weisberg TF, McShane LM, Wolff AC. Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Testing in Breast Cancer: ASCO/CAP Guideline Update. J Clin Oncol. 2020 Apr 20;38(12):1346-1366. doi: 10.1200/JCO.19.02309. Epub 2020 Jan 13. PMID: 31928404.

We recommend starting engagement with our scientific team early, such as at the protocol design phase, for optimal results. Reach out to us here.