title: EGFR somatic mutations in lung tumors: radon exposure and passive smoking in former- and never-smoking U.S. women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with lung cancer with mutations in EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase have improved prognosis when treated with EGFR inhibitors. We hypothesized that EGFR mutations may be related to residential radon or passive tobacco smoke.
  
  
  METHODS
  This hypothesis was investigated by analyzing EGFR mutations in 70 lung tumors from a population of never and long-term former female smokers from Missouri with detailed exposure assessments. The relationship with passive smoking was also examined in never-smoking female lung cancer cases from the Mayo clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the frequency of EGFR mutation was 41% [95% confidence interval (CI), 32%-49%]. Neither radon nor passive-smoking exposure was consistently associated with EGFR mutations in lung tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that EGFR mutations are common in female, never-smoking lung cancer cases from the United States, and EGFR mutations are unlikely due to exposure to radon or passive smoking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiobiology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taga
authors.forename: Leah E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mechanic
authors.forename: Nobutoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Kirsi H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Vähäkangas
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Michael C R
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Alavanja
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Welsh
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diasio
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Edell
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bungum
authors.forename: Jin Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jen
authors.forename: Curtis C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011886:Radon