Bayer Releases Automated Serum HER-2/Neu Test

An automated assay for the quantitative measurement of the oncoprotein HER-2/neu in blood serum is now available from Bayer Diagnostics (Tarrytown, NY, USA) for use on the company's Advia Centaur immunoassay system.

The assay is intended to be used as a complement to conventional tissue testing such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) by providing a real-time picture of a patient's HER-2/neu levels via a simple blood test. This helps oncologists to make better therapy decisions and to monitor the therapy's effects. Studies have shown that persistently rising HER-2/neu values may be associated with aggressive cancer and poor response to therapy, while decreasing levels may be indicative of effective therapy.

"It simply is not practical to monitor the success of therapy by continuously taking biopsies of metastatic tumors,” noted Dr. Roy Sherwood, consultant clinical scientist at King's College Hospital in London (UK). "However, availability of the serum assay allows you to monitor treatment efficacy and adjust dosage as appropriate, as well as being potentially diagnostic in cases where fresh tissue is not available.”





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