EGFR mutation of tumor and serum in gefitinib-treated patients with chemotherapy-naive non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The authors evaluate the efficacy and safety of gefitinib monotherapy in chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A secondary endpoint is to evaluate the relationship between clinical manifestations and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status.


METHODS
Japanese chemotherapy-naive NSCLC patients were enrolled. They had measurable lesions, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2, and adequate organ and bone marrow function. Patients received 250 mg of oral gefitinib daily. EGFR mutations in exon 18, 19, and 21 of DNA extracted from tumor and serum were analyzed by genomic polymerase chain reaction and direct sequence.


RESULTS
All 30 patients were eligible for the assessment of efficacy and safety. An objective response and stable disease were observed in 10 patients (33.3%) and nine patients (30.0%), respectively. The median time to progression was 3.3 months and the median overall survival was 10.6 months. The 1-year survival rate was 43.3%. Grade 3 toxicities were observed in seven patients. EGFR mutation was observed in four of 13 (30.8%) tumors, and two of them achieved partial response. In serum samples, three of 10 patients with EGFR mutations in the serum before treatment had a response to gefitinib. EGFR mutation was observed in 10 of 27 and significantly more frequently observed in the posttreatment samples from patients with a partial response or stable disease than in those from patients with progressive disease (p = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Gefitinib monotherapy in chemotherapy-naive NSCLC patients was active, with acceptable toxicities. These results warrant further evaluation of gefitinib monotherapy as a first-line therapy. The EGFR mutation in serum DNA may be a biomarker for monitoring the response to gefitinib during treatment.
Kimura
Hideharu
H
Respiratory Medicine, Kanazawa University Hospital, Ishikawa, Japan.
Kasahara
Kazuo
K
Shibata
Kazuhiko
K
Sone
Takashi
T
Yoshimoto
Akihiro
A
Kita
Toshiyuki
T
Ichikawa
Yukari
Y
Waseda
Yuko
Y
Watanabe
Kazuyoshi
K
Shiarasaki
Hiroki
H
Ishiura
Yoshihisa
Y
Mizuguchi
Masayuki
M
Nakatsumi
Yasuto
Y
Kashii
Tatsuhiko
T
Kobayashi
Masashi
M
Kunitoh
Hideo
H
Tamura
Tomohide
T
Nishio
Kazuto
K
Fujimura
Masaki
M
Nakao
Shinji
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011799:Quinazolines; D004247:DNA; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib