THE FREQUENCY OF METHODS USED FOR DETECTION OF THE EGFR MUTATION IN LUNG CANCER

Abstract

Subject of study Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a trans-membrane receptor protein and is over-expressed in several tumor types, including NSCLC. It was one of the molecules that were recognized as a potential biomarker for the development of targeted therapies. Many different methods were developed for detection commonly known mutations and for screening new mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor in non-small cell lung cancer patients . Methods In our paper A Pub Med literature search was performed in order to demonstrate what methods are mostly used in detection of EGFR mutation in lung cancer, with aims to show their distribution through the last 10 years. In this search we took next key words: “mutations”, “epidermal growth factor receptor”, “EGFR”, “non-small cell lung cancer”or “NSCLC. We thus obtained 1,270 articles. Results Results shows that a lot of methods are used to determine mutations of EGFR in lung cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis (IHC), were not used only as single methods but very often in combination with direct sequencing (DS), and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and/or chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH). IHC analyses in combination with PCR, direct sequencing, FISH or CISH were more frequently used in the period from 2001 to 2005. In the past six years direct sequencing, in combination with PCR alone or with PCR and other advanced techniques, has widely been used to detect EGFR mutation in NSCLC. Conclusion The certain methods are generally recoomended to use in the diagnosis of the tumor from biopsy. Other more sensitive methods are recommended to determine the presence of the mutation of EGFR from small tissue quantities.