title: Gene mutations in squamous cell NSCLC: insignificance of EGFR, KRAS and PIK3CA mutations in prediction of EGFR-TKI treatment efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) and phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase catalytic subunit-alpha (PIK3CA) mutations are biomarkers used for the prediction of efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 223 patients with advanced-stage squamous cell NSCLC were tested; 179 patients were treated with EGFR-TKIs. Genetic testing was performed using a combination of denaturing capillary electrophoresis and direct Sanger sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGFR mutations were detected in 7.2%; KRAS mutations in 7.4% and PIK3CA mutations in 3.8% of patients. No correlation of EGFR or PIK3CA mutation status with progression-free survival (PFS) (p=0.425; p=0.197), nor overall survival (OS) (p=0.673; p=0.687), was observed. KRAS mutations correlated with shorter OS (p=0.039), but not with PFS (p=0.120).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not observe any role of EGFR, KRAS, PIK3CA mutations in prediction of EGFR-TKIs efficacy in patients with advanced-stage squamous cell NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical School and Teaching Hospital Pilsen, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. fiala.o@centrum.cz
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fiala
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pesek
authors.forename: Jindrich
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finek
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benesova
authors.forename: Zbynek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bortlicek
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minarik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D058534:Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C117307:KRAS protein, human; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D058534:Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; C484760:PIK3CA protein, human; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D018631:ras Proteins