title: [Mutation testing for non-small-cell lung  cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) are a relatively new class of drugs for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. The national professional group for lung cancer, The Norwegian Lung Cancer Group, recommends that patients with non-small-cell lung cancer are tested for mutations in the EGFR gene. Here, we report the experience collected after the introduction of such testing in Norway in 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on the number of patients tested, gender distribution, histopathological data and analysis results have been collected from the molecular-pathology laboratories at the university hospitals in Tromsø, Trondheim, Bergen and Oslo for the period from May 2010 to May 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During this period, altogether 1,058 patients with lung cancer were tested for mutations in the EGFR gene, equal to approximately half of all those who were diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer. A mutation was detected in 123 patients (11.6 per cent). There was a higher proportion of mutation-positive women than men (17.6 per cent, compared to 6.3 per cent, p < 0.001), and a lower proportion with squamous cell carcinoma than for other histopathological subtypes (3.0 per cent, compared to 12.9 per cent, p < 0.001). Of a total of 80 cytological tests, nine (11.3 per cent) were positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In light of the relatively high mutation frequency and a considerable number of positives in the group with squamous cell carcinoma, we recommend to continue the practice of mutation-testing all patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Avdeling for kreftbehandling, Oslo universitetssykehus, Radiumhospitalet, Norway. otr@ous-hf.no
authors.forename: Odd Terje
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Brustugun
authors.forename: Åslaug
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Helland
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fjellbirkeland
authors.forename: Lilach
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kleinberg
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ariansen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jebsen
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dønnem
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bremnes
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Bjørn Henning
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Grønberg
authors.forename: Hong Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Sissel Gyrid Freim
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.forename: Kjersti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mangseth
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Helgeland
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D057285:Precision Medicine; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000077156:Gefitinib