Relationship between Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Gene Mutations and Clinicopathological Features in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Western Turkey

Background: To investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in patients with nonsmallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to analyze any relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis.Materials and
Methods: EGFR gene exons 18-21 in 48 specimens of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue fromNSCLC patients were amplified by PCR, followed by direct sequencing and analysis of links to clinicopathologicalfeatures and prognosis.
Results: EGFR mutations were detected in 18 of 48 (42.6%) patients with NSCLC. Therewere 9 cases of mutations in exon 20, 7 in exon 19 and 2 in exon 21. Mutations were more frequently observedin women (5/7 pts, 71.4%) than in men (13/41 pts, 31.7%) (p=0.086) and in non-smokers (5/5 pts, 100%) thansmokers (13/43 pts, 30.2%). There was negative correlation of EGFR mutations with smoking status (p=0.005).EGFR mutations were more frequently observed with adenocarcinoma histology (13/32 pts, 40.6%) than in othertypes (5/16 pts, 31.3%) (p=0.527). The patients with EGFR mutations had better survival than those with wildtypeEGFR (p=0.08). There was no association of EGFR mutations with metastatic spread.
Conclusions: EGFRmutations in NSCLC were here demonstrated more frequently in females, non-smokers and adenocarcinomahistology in the western region of Turkey. Patients with EGFR mutations have a better prognosis.