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High proportion of rare and compound epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in an A ustralian population of non‐squamous non‐small‐cell lung cancer
Author(s) -
Stone E.,
Allen H. A.,
Saghaie T.,
Abbott A.,
Daniel R.,
Mead R. S.,
KohonenCorish M.,
Plit M.,
Morgan L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/imj.12587
Subject(s) - medicine , epidermal growth factor receptor , oncology , incidence (geometry) , mutation , lung cancer , population , gefitinib , high resolution melt , cancer , pathology , cancer research , genetics , gene , biology , polymerase chain reaction , physics , environmental health , optics
Background Epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) mutation positivity in primary non‐small‐cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ) may confer increased sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor ( TKI ) therapy with improved progression‐free survival over EGFR wild‐type tumours. Some mutation subtypes may not confer such TKI sensitivity. The incidence of rare and compound subtypes in the A ustralian lung cancer population is not fully defined. Aims The aim of the study was to audit the incidence of EGFR mutation in serial cases of primary non‐squamous NSCLC presenting to two multidisciplinary team meetings in metropolitan S ydney for incidence, type of mutation and phenotypic association with mutation positivity. Methods Serially presenting cases of primary non‐squamous NSCLC were tested for EGFR mutation. The cases presented to either of two multidisciplinary team meetings in metropolitan S ydney and were referred for EGFR mutation testing on the basis of non‐squamous NSCLC histopathology. Samples from the two sites were analysed for EGFR mutation at one of three different laboratories, each using a slightly different assay. Data on phenotypic characteristics, smoking history and clinicopathological features of the tumour were collected. Results There is a relatively high incidence of EGFR mutation in non‐squamous NSCLC in a series of patients drawn from two metropolitan multidisciplinary team meetings in S ydney at a rate of 23.8%. A high proportion of rare and compound EGFR mutations were identified (6/32 mutation positive cases, 18.8%). Conclusions The incidence of EGFR mutation may be higher in A ustralian populations than in other populations of predominantly E uropean origin. Rare and compound EGFR mutations may occur and may have implications for treatment that differ from classically activating mutations.