Increased vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tumor expression and response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) inhibitor erlotinib in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
A 37-year-old female never smoker with metastatic large cell carcinoma of the lung had a partial response to a second line palliative therapy with the EGF-R tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib after platinum based first line therapy failed. Molecular analysis of the primary and a liver metastasis did neither find any EGF-R mutation nor an EGF-R amplification. However, both the primary and the metastasis showed an increased gene expression of vascular-endothelial growth factor-A in contrast to normal tissue, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. To our knowledge, this is the first report about a high vascular-endothelial growth factor-A expression in the tumor of a patient responding to an EGF-R inhibitor postulating that there might be a link between both tyrosine kinase pathways.
Brueckl
Wolfgang M
WM
Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. wolfgang.brueckl@uk-erlangen.de
Schoeberl
Anja
A
Wirtz
Ralph M
RM
Murray
Samuel
S
Hahn
Eckhart G
EG
Wiest
Gunther H
GH
D000328:Adult; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D066246:ErbB Receptors