Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction offers an improvisation over conventional immunohistochemistry and fluorescent hybridization for ascertaining Her2 status of breast cancer.

Background: Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (DDPCR) is a recent modality for detecting Her2 expression which is quantitative, cheaper, easier to standardize, and free from interobserver variation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to incorporate DDPCR in the current diagnostic paradigm with clinical benefit.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients were tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescent hybridization (FISH), and DDPCR.

The detection of primary and secondary EGFR mutations using droplet digital PCR in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Background: We share our experience of using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (DdPCR) in liquid biopsy specimens for detecting primary and secondary epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations among patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer who had tissue biopsy initially analyzed for del19, L858R and T790M.

Materials And Methods: Three groups of patients were chosen: Group 1: patients positive for EGFR mutation (del 19 or L858R) by conventional tissue biopsy that were treatment naïve, Group 2: patients positive for EGFR mutation (del 19 or L858R) by conventional tissue biopsy with acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, documented by radiology, and Group 3: no known EGFR mutation detected on primary tissue biopsy and treatment naive.

Results: One hundred and thirty-three patients were included in the study.

Clinical utility of RT-PCR in assessing HER 2 gene expression versus traditional IHC and FISH in breast cancer patients.

Background: IHC and FISH are used for categorizing HER 2 status in breast cancer at the protein and DNA level, respectively. HER 2 expression at the RNA level is quantitative, cheaper, easier to standardize and free from interobserver variation.

Methods: 115 consecutive patients were tested by IHC, FISH and RT-PCR (test cohort).

rearrangement and response to crizotinib in Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The frequency of ROS1 rearrangement in non-small cell lung cancers has been reported from 1.6% to 2.3%.