Biotin Improves HER2-Positive Status Test Accuracy for Breast Cancer Patients
The tests that were being used to identify HER-2 status in advanced breast cancer patients who could potentially respond to Herceptin® treatment were both unreliable and inaccurate. Since studies have shown Herceptin® combined with chemotherapy increases both response and survival rates in these HER-2+ breast cancer patients, it was obviously important to find a way to improve these tests.32
Researchers used the avidin/biotin system to help overcome the difficulty. Biotinylated Herceptin® was able to accurately detect patients with HER-2 amplified tumors. It was also discovered to be a predictor of clinical outcome, since those that it did detect were likely to benefit from Herceptin® treatment. This was because the researchers were able to evaluate the availability of trastuzumab-binding sites on individual tumors.32