title: Epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in early pulmonary adenocarcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations are frequently found in pulmonary adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Various lung cancers (n=30) including 8 small adenocarcinomas were examined for EGFR gene mutations in three exons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mutations were detected in 32% of adenocarcinomas. Exon 19 mutations were detected in 5 tumors, often advanced stages: 1 in Noguchi's pathologic type C, 2 in type D, and 2 in type F. Exon 21 mutations were detected in 3 tumors, all small adenocarcinomas in type C, at pathologic stage IA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suspect that exon 21 mutations are early events in small bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, while exon 19 mutations are later events occurring in adenocarcinomas of various types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Surgery, Atami Hospital International University of Health and Welfare, Atami, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Harubumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors