Newbie

comommy3 said:

hang in there
I've never heard of a Fish test. What is this? Hope everything goes well. Stay strong, and focus on the possitive.

FISH Test
Fluorescence in
FISH Test
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a newer test that "maps" the genetic material in human cells, including specific genes or portions of genes.

Because a FISH test can detect genetic abnormalities associated with cancer, it's useful for diagnosing some types of the disease. In some cases when the type of cancer has previously been diagnosed, a FISH test also can provide additional information to help predict a patient's outcome and whether he or she is likely to respond to chemotherapy drugs.

In breast cancer patients, for example, a FISH test on breast cancer tissue removed during a biopsy can show whether the cells have extra copies of the HER2 gene. Cells with extra copies of the gene have more HER2 receptors, which receive signals that stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. So patients with extra copies of the gene are more likely to respond to treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab), a drug that blocks the ability of HER2 receptors to receive growth signals.

Because FISH testing is expensive and not widely available, it's not as commonly used as another breast cancer test: ImmunoHistoChemistry (IHC). Within the medical community, there's some debate over whether FISH is more useful than standard tests. But recent technological advances promise to significantly reduce the cost of FISH testing and increase its availability in a variety of clinical settings.

How FISH Works

During a FISH test using a sample of the patient's tissue, special colored dyes are attached to specific parts of certain chromosomes in order to visualize and count them under a fluorescent microscope, and to detect cancer-promoting abnormalities.

Abnormalities found in cancer cells include:

Translocation. Part of one chromosome has broken off and relocated itself onto another chromosome.
Inversion. Part of a chromosome is in reverse order although it is still attached to the correct chromosome.
Deletion. Part of a chromosome is missing.
Duplication. Part of a chromosome has been copied and the cell contains too many copies.
Translocations can help doctors identify some types of leukemia, lymphomas, and sarcoma. Duplications in breast cancer cells can help doctors choose optimal treatments.

Compared to standard cytogenetic (cell gene) tests, one advantage of FISH is that it can identify genetic changes that are too small to be seen under a microscope. Another advantage is that FISH doesn't have to be performed on cells that are actively dividing. Because other tests cannot be performed until cancer cells have been growing in lab dishes for about two weeks, the process usually takes about three weeks. FISH results are usually available within a few days.