title: Computed tomography-guided core-needle biopsy specimens demonstrate epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Target therapy with a new class of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors shows improved clinical response in EGFR gene-mutated lung cancers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of computed tomography (CT)-guided core-needle biopsy specimens for the assessment of EGFR gene mutation in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen (nine males, eight females) patients with advanced NSCLC were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent CT-guided core-needle biopsy of the lung tumor prior to treatment with the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib. There were no life-threatening complications of biopsy. The specimens were sent fresh-frozen for EGFR mutation analysis and histopathological study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 12 (70.6%) EGFR gene mutants and five (29.4%) nonmutants. The objective response rate to gefitinib therapy was 73.3% (11 of 15 patients), with 91.7% (11 of 12 mutants) for the mutant group and 0% for the nonmutant group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT-guided core-needle biopsy of advanced NSCLC enables the acquisition of sufficient tissue for EGFR gene mutation analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging and Intervention, and Department of Hematology and Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C-M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J W-C
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Y-C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: S-F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib