title: Analysis of the prognostic value of soluble epidermal growth factor receptor plasma concentration in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in a variety of epithelial malignancies including lung cancer. A soluble fragment of the EGFR extracellular domain (sEGFR) can be detected in the blood of patients who have non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its clinical/ prognostic role must be further elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  sEGFR concentration was retrospectively determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in plasma samples from 308 advanced NSCLC patients (before treatment) and 109 healthy controls and correlated with clinico-pathological variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of sEGFR was lower in NSCLC patients than in controls (P < .0001). sEGFR behaves as a sensitive but not specific screening biomarker. No significant associations were observed between sEGFR concentration and demographic/clinical characteristics such as gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, stage, and number or location of the metastatic sites. sEGFR was lower in patients with progressive disease or in squamous cell carcinoma compared with adenocarcinoma, but these differences were not significant. Patients with sEGFR ≤ 34.56 ng/mL showed a shorter overall survival (median 9.1 versus 12.2 months, P = .019) than others. Moreover, in multivariate analysis, sEGFR remained a significant independent prognostic marker.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low baseline sEGFR is associated with reduced survival in advanced NSCLC. Therefore, our findings in this large cohort of patients suggest that the determination of sEGFR concentration provides valuable prognostic information.
authors: Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Fundación para la Investigación del Hospital General Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
authors: Eloisa
authors: E
authors: Jantus-Lewintre
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Sirera
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Cabrera
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Blasco
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Caballero
authors: Vega
authors: V
authors: Iranzo
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Rosell
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Camps
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors