title: Influence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations on the expression of EGFR, phosphoryl-Akt, and phosphoryl-MAPK, and on the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this paper we examined the influence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations on EGFR expression, downstream mediators, and survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the tumors of 53 patients with completely resected pathological stage I-IIIA NSCLC for the presence of EGFR gene mutations, the expression of EGFR mRNA and protein, phosphoryl-Akt, and phosphoryl-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) using immunostaining, and patients' prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGFR mutations were associated with elevations in EGFR mRNA (P = 0.004) and protein (P = 0.029) expression, but not with the expression of phosphoryl-Akt or phosphoryl-MAPK. The 5-year survival rate for all patients who exhibited an EGFR mutation was similar to those who were free of such mutations (71% vs. 56%, P = 0.252). However, the 5-year survival rate of patients with either a stage I adenocarcinoma or large cell carcinoma who had an EGFR mutation was significantly greater than for those who did not have such a mutation (92% vs. 57%, P = 0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGFR gene mutations were significantly associated with higher EGFR expression, but not with p-Akt or p-MAPK status. In early stage NSCLC, the presence of an EGFR gene mutation bode well for the patient's prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sonobe
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katakura
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otake
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases