[Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations and its clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancers].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the detection technology and its clinical significance of the EGFR gene mutation in non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: DNA direct sequencing methods by PCR amplification were used to detect EGFR gene exons 18-21 mutation and to analyze its clinical pathological significance in 192 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. RESULTS: 64 of the 192 cases presented with EGFR gene tyrosine kinase binding domain mutation (64/192, 33.3%), of which exon 19 deletion mutation rate was 60.9% (39/64), exon 21 alternative mutation rate was 39.1% (25/64), but exons 18 and 20 mutation was not found in this group of patients. EGFR gene mutation rate was 58.5%(24/41) in lung adenocarcinoma associated with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma differentiation, which was significantly higher than that of ordinary adenocarcinoma (37.9%, 33/87), squamous cell carcinoma (7.5%, 4/53), large cell carcinoma (1/5) and adenosquamous carcinoma (2/6, P<0.05). EGFR gene mutation rates in male patients (20.9%, 24/115), were significantly higher than in the females (51.9%, 40/77; P<0.01); non-smokers (50.0%, 57/114), significantly higher than that of smokers (9.0%, 7/78; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: DNA direct sequencing method by PCR amplification is stable and reliable in detection of EGFR gene mutation in non-small cell lung cancer. It might provide a scientific basis for targeted therapy.