The epidermal growth factor receptor gene sequence is highly conserved in primary gastric cancers.
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.
Mimori
Koshi
K
Department of Surgery, Medical Institute of Bioregulation Kyushu University, Beppu, Japan.
Nagahara
Hisashi
H
Sudo
Tomoya
T
Ishii
Hideshi
H
Yamashita
Keishi
K
Barnard
Graham F
GF
Mori
Masaki
M
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
D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib