title: The characterization of gefitinib sensitivity and adverse events in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Factors predicting gefitinib sensitivity and adverse events in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlations among clinicopathological characteristics, gefitinib sensitivity and adverse events were studied in 154 patients with NSCLC, whereas epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were analyzed in 44 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Female, non-smoker, adenocarcinoma of stage I-II, and gefitinib effectiveness correlated with longer time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS), while the rate of interstitial lung disease in patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy and stomatitis in females or those who never smoked were significantly higher. EGFR mutations were identified in 18 cases, and among 34 gefitinib-treated patients, 16 patients harboring mutations tended to do better, both in terms of TTP and OS. The results of the mutation analysis from surgical and non-surgical specimens were identical.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain clinicopathological characteristics and EGFR mutations can be either predictive of gefitinib sensitivity or adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Yushima Lung Cancer Research Group , Saitama Medical University, Japan. nkoyama@saitama-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Yasuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jinn
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takabe
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inase
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib