title: Somatic mutations of EGFR gene in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, the kinase domain mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene have been identified in non-small-cell lung cancer, and these mutations have been related to the clinical response to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. Gefitinib treatment has also shown clinical benefits in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that SCCHN harbored the EGFR mutations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we analyzed EGFR gene in 41 SCCHN for the detection of the somatic mutations by PCR-single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, we detected three EGFR mutations (7.3%), and all of the mutations were the same in-frame deletion mutation in exon 19 (E746_A750del).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicated that in addition to non-small-cell lung cancer, SCCHN harbors the EGFR gene mutations, and suggested the rationale for the clinical applicability of gefinitib to SCCHN patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Soung
authors.forename: Su Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyo Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Won Sang
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Suk Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Min Sik
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Youn Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ja June
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jung Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nam Jin
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sug Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D066246:ErbB Receptors