Epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number changes in lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the implication of copy number changes of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in lung cancer pathogenesis.


METHODS
We used the highly reliable method of FISH, applied on tissue microarray (TMA), containing 306 lung tumors of different histological types, grades and tumor stage, in order to analyze the correlations between gene copy number changes and tumor phenotype.


RESULTS
The frequency of EGFR copy number changes was 22.2%-2.8% amplifications and 19.4% gains. EGFR gains occurred more commonly in the squamous cell cancers (23.5%) than in adenocarcinomas (11.8%). Amplifications of EGFR were found only in the squamous cell cancers. Regarding cancer phenotype, there was a statistically significant correlation between EGFR copy number changes and histological grade (p = 0.001). No statistically significant relation could be observed with the metastatic spread of the tumors (lymphogenic and haematogenic) (p = 0.082 and p = 0.1, respectively). In our study EGFR could not be determined as a prognostic factor of survival (p = 0.6115).


CONCLUSIONS
EGFR copy number changes could supplement the clinical significance of EGFR as a marker related to its pathogenesis and targeted therapy.
Cherneva
Radostina V
RV
Department of Internal Medicine, Alexandrovska University Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Georgiev
Ognyan B
OB
Petrov
Danail B
DB
Dimova
Ivanka I
II
Toncheva
Draga I
DI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis
D066246:ErbB Receptors