Affiliations of authors: E. A. Perez, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL; R. B. Jenkins, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Correspondence to: Edith A. Perez, M.D., Mayo Clinic, Division of Hematology/Oncology, 4500 San Pablo Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32224 (e-mail: perez.edith{at}mayo.edu).
We appreciate receiving the correspondence from Vincent-Salomon et al. and applaud their efforts to corroborate protein and gene HER2 testing in a single laboratory. The dataset they describe is consistent with our experience. Their letter essentially describes their calibration of immunohistochemical testing (IHC) by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) as a gold standard. Although we did not calibrate external IHC with central FISH, we think that our dataespecially the most recent updatesshow that one can achieve good internal agreement between FISH and IHC if there is coordination between the laboratories. However, the point we made regarding unacceptable discordance rates referred to a comparison between external and central laboratories, using either IHC or FISH, not to using two methodologies in a central laboratory facility. We continue accumulating and analyzing data from our study and will report follow-up information. We expect that increased awareness regarding the potential for discordance will lead to quality-control efforts (for example, those begun by the College of American Pathologists), which should improve concordance rates and optimize patient selection for anti-HER2 treatments.
NOTES
Editors note: Paik et al. declined to respond.
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