title: EGFR gene alterations in a Norwegian cohort of lung cancer patients selected for surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. New therapies targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase are promising and show high response rates in the subset of patients with activating mutations in EGFR. The frequency of these mutations is largely unknown in unselected Caucasian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mutation analysis of EGFR exons 18-21 was performed on 240 lung cancer samples using the TheraScreen EGFR mutation kit and denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography in addition to sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a cohort of 240 Norwegian lung cancer patients selected for surgery, we identified 18 tumors with EGFR-activating mutations (7.5%, 14 women and 4 men), of which 14 were adenocarcinomas, 2 squamous cell carcinomas, and 2 bronchoalveolar carcinomas. Five of the mutations were found in patients with more than 20 pack-years of smoking history.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of EGFR mutations is lower in our cohort than among Asian lung cancer patients and present in both men and women and smokers and never-smokers. However, the frequency is significantly higher among women and never-smokers and among patients with adenocarcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Oslo University Hospital-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway. ahelland@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Åslaug
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Helland
authors.forename: Hege Marian
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Skaug
authors.forename: Lilach
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kleinberg
authors.forename: Marius Lund
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.forename: Ane Kongsgaard
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rud
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sagerup
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ariansen
authors.forename: Odd Terje
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Brustugun
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009664:Norway; D011379:Prognosis; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors