Epidermal growth factor receptor gene analysis with a highly sensitive molecular assay in routine cytologic specimens of lung adenocarcinoma.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutational analysis is critical for guiding the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. In everyday clinical practice, EGFR testing is frequently centralized in referral laboratories that may receive paucicellular cytologic specimens, often fixed in various ways. We conducted a search for EGFR mutations in 108 cytologic samples of lung adenocarcinoma from different hospitals using the TheraScreen EGFR29 kit. These samples included 80 (74.1%) fine-needle aspirations, 13 (12%) pleural/ascitic fluids, 13 (12%) bronchial washings, and 2 bronchial brushings. The samples were fixed in ethanol (n = 79), Duboscq-Brasil (n = 18) or formalin (n = 10); 1 was unfixed. Ninety-two (85.2%) were amplified, 16 (14.8%) were not. Mutations were detected in 22 (23.9%) of 92 amplified samples, 9 containing less than 200 cancer cells, and 4 with less than 50% cancer cells. DNA was amplified in 12 of 18 Duboscq-Brasil-fixed samples. These findings indicate that cytologic specimens are adequate for EGFR testing when a highly sensitive assay is used, even if they are paucicellular or not optimally fixed.
Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Novara, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.
Sara
S
Allegrini
Jlenia
J
Antona
Rosanna
R
Mezzapelle
Umberto
U
Miglio
Alessia
A
Paganotti
Claudia
C
Veggiani
Milo
M
Frattini
Guido
G
Monga
Piero
P
Balbo
Renzo
R
Boldorini
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009154:Mutation
D066246:ErbB Receptors