Human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) is an important biomarker in the treatment of gastric and esophageal cancer.
HER2 biomarkers are proteins that occur on the surface of cells and are used for cell repair and growth. Cancers with high levels of HER2 protein or HER2 genes are called HER2 receptor overexpressors and tend to grow quickly and spread to other parts of the body.
Knowing your HER2 status is important when determining the best treatment options for stomach and esophageal cancer. Approximately one in five cases of stomach cancer have overexpression of the HER2 receptor, meaning that anti-HER2 drugs could be an effective therapeutic option.
However, not all anti-HER2 treatments are successful for stomach cancer. This is partly due to the HER2 heterogeneity of gastric cancer, meaning that in gastric cancer not all cancer cells are identical, as is the case in other cancers with overexpression of the HER2 receptor, such as breast cancer. The extent of HER2 receptor overexpression may also change over time or after treatment.
Testing for HER2 biomarkers is routine in late-stage gastroesophageal cancers. Therefore, it is important that you get tested for HER2 biomarkers, talk to your doctor about the results of these tests, and get advice about how these results might affect your treatment plan.
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