Epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in early pulmonary adenocarcinomas.
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.
Nakamura
Haruhiko
H
Department of Chest Surgery, Atami Hospital International University of Health and Welfare, Atami, Japan.
Kawasaki
Norihito
N
Taguchi
Masahiko
M
Kato
Harubumi
H
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
D066246:ErbB Receptors