title: The epidermal growth factor receptor gene sequence is highly conserved in primary gastric cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have disclosed the presence of somatic mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), and susceptibility to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (gefitinib) was determined by the presence of mutations in the kinase domain of this gene. We thus predicted a clinical benefit of gefitinib against the 12% of primary colorectal cancers exhibiting a mutation reflective of this potential distinctive susceptibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mutation status of the kinase domain in EGFR in different primary cancers has important clinical consequences, because the presence of a mutation is recognized as a reliable indicator for the effectiveness of gefitinib administration. In the current study, we investigated the presence of somatic mutations in exons 18-21 coding the ATP-binding domain in five gastric cancer cell lines and 39 primary gastric cancers and their corresponding normal tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The kinase domain of EGFR is highly conserved in whole gastric cancer cell lines and cases, therefore treatment with gefitinib is unfortunately not recommended for such malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical Institute of Bioregulation Kyushu University, Beppu, Japan.
authors.forename: Koshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimori
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagahara
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Hideshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Keishi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Graham F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib