High prevalence of gene abnormalities in young patients with lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Recently, driver oncogenes in adenocarcinoma of the lung were identified, and several molecular target agents were introduced in the clinical setting. However, there are few reports on the frequency of gene abnormalities in young patients with lung cancer.


METHODS
Twelve patients with lung adenocarcinoma aged 40 or younger at Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital or Juntendo University Hospital from July 2004 to March 2010 were analyzed for driver oncogene status including EGFR activating mutation, EML4-ALK fusion gene, and K-ras mutation.


RESULTS
Four patients showed EGFR gene mutation. Five out of 7 EGFR mutation-negative patients showed positive results for EML4-ALK gene fusion. One case whose EGFR mutation was indeterminate.


CONCLUSIONS
Driver oncogene including EGFR mutation and EML4-ALK fusion gene was identified in 9 of 12 cases (75%). Examination of gene abnormalities is essential in young patients with non-small cell lung cancer to provide the best treatment.
Division of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu-shi, Chiba 279-0021, Japan;
Osamu
O
Nagashima
Rina
R
Ohashi
Yasuko
Y
Yoshioka
Ai
A
Inagaki
Manabu
M
Tajima
Yoshika
Y
Koinuma
Shin-Ichiro
S
Iwakami
Akihiko
A
Iwase
Shinichi
S
Sasaki
Shigeru
S
Tominaga
Kazuhisa
K
Takahashi
EGFR; EML4-ALK; Young patients; driver oncogene; lung cancer