[Relationship of the curative effects of gefitinib on non-small cell lung carcinoma to gender and to epithelial growth factor receptor status].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the mutation of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in the non-small cell lung carcinoma (LSCLG) patients with different genders and the relationship between the gender of LSCLG patients and the curative effects of gefitinib, an specific tyrosine kinase.


METHODS
Tumor specimens were obtained from 135 NSCLC patients, 94 males (78.7% smoking) and 41 females (17.1% smoking), of which 20 received gefitinib treatment after the failure of chemotherapy, during operation and stored at -80 degrees C. The genomic DNA of the cancer tissues was extracted by using Trizol reagent. Nest-PCR was used to amplify the exons 18, 19, and 21 of the EGFR gene and the PCR products were purified by agarose electrophoresis and then sequenced.


RESULTS
EGFR mutation was found in 29 of the 135 NSCLC patients (21.5%), with a mutation rate of 19.1% in the males and a mutation rate of 26.8% in the females (P = 0.344). The mutation types included G719C and G719V in exon 16, delE746 - 750, and delE746 - 751 in exon 19, and L858R and L861Qin exon 21. Among the 20 patients who received gefitinib treatment the disease control rate was 85% (17/20), being 76.9% in the male patients (10/13) and being 100% in the female patients (7/7) (P = 0.521). There were not significant differences in the mean time-to-progression (TTP) between the male and female patients (9 months vs. 14 months, P = 1), and between the patients with the wild type of EGFR gene and those with the mutated type of gene (9 months vs. 14 months, P = 1).


CONCLUSIONS
There is no significant relationship between the curative effect of gefitinib on NSCLC and gender and EFGR status.
Xu
Chong-rui
CR
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
Lin
Jia-ying
JY
Wang
Zhen
Z
Zhou
Qing
Q
Zhang
Guo-chun
GC
Wang
Kun
K
Yang
Xue-ning
XN
Chen
Gang
G
Yang
Jin-ji
JJ
Huang
Yu-juan
YJ
Liao
Ri-qiang
RQ
Wu
Yi-long
YL
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001483:Base Sequence; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib