Mater Pathology becomes a CISH reference centre

Colorimetric In Situ Hybridisation (CISH) is used to count the number of copies of a specific gene in individual cells, usually tumour cells. It is used as the state-of-the-art diagnostic to test for HER-2 gene amplification in tumour cells from women with early stage breast cancer. This test is necessary in order to determine whether the targeted therapy Herceptin® will be beneficial in the treatment of the patient's cancer. It is performed on tumour tissue stored by standard techniques within the Anatomical Pathology Laboratory.

Director of Anatomical Pathology at Mater Pathology, Associate Professor Jane Armes, says becoming a recognised CISH centre is a natural extension of the department's interest in breast cancer and modern diagnostic techniques.

“This is a specialised test and it is appropriate that it is restricted to laboratories which understand fully the molecular mechanisms of HER-2 overexpression and who have real expertise in the molecular pathology of breast disease,” said A/Prof Jane Armes.

A/Prof Armes has been a member of the HER-2 Testing Advisory Committee since its inception in the late 1990s. This committee has been instrumental in steering the testing program for HER-2 within Australia, parallel with the availability of Herceptin®.