Somatic mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor and non-small-cell lung cancer. Issue 3 (8th December 2006)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Xiaozhu; Chang, Alex
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical genetics. Volume 44:Issue 3(2007)
• Page Start: 166
• Page End: 172
• Publication Date: 2006-12-08
• Subjects: EGF(R), epidermal growth factor (receptor) -- NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer -- PCR, polymerase chain reaction -- SSCP, single-strand conformation polymorphism -- TKI, tyrosine kinase inhibitor; Medical genetics -- Periodicals; 616.042
• DOI: 10.1136/jmg.2006.046102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-6244

Abstract

Abstract : Frequent overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) makes EGFR a new therapeutic target. Two specific EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, gefitinib (ZD1839, Iressa) and erlotinib (OSI-774, Tarceva), have been developed and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for second-line and third-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Clinical trials have shown considerable variability in the response rate between different patients with NSCLC, which led to the discovery of somatic EGFR -activating mutations. This brief review summarises the discovery and functional consequences of the mutations, their clinicopathological features and significant implications in the treatment and prognosis of NSCLC.