Prognostic value of EGFR mutation and ERCC1 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing platinum-based chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
In order to improve the outcome of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a biomarker that can predict the efficacy of chemotherapy is needed. The aim of this study was to assess the role of EGFR mutations and ERCC1 in predicting the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy and the outcome of patients with NSCLC.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study to analyze the relationships between EGFR mutations or ERCC1 expression and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with NSCLC who received platinum-based chemotherapy. EGFR mutation status was determined using the peptide nucleic acid-locked nucleic acid polymerase chain reaction clamp method, and immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of ERCC1 in tumor samples obtained from the patients.


RESULTS
Among the NSCLC patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy, the median PFS was significantly better in those who had never smoked and those with exon 19 deletion, and the median overall survival (OS) was significantly better in those who had never smoked, those with exon 19 deletion, and women. Cox regression analysis revealed that exon 19 deletion and having never smoked were significantly associated with both PFS and OS. Subset analysis revealed a significant correlation between ERCC1 expression and EGFR mutation, and ERCC1-negative patients with exon 19 deletion had a longer PFS than the other patients; ERCC1-positive patients without exon 19 deletion had a shorter PFS than the other patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that among NSCLC patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy, those with exon 19 deletion have a longer PFS and OS. Our findings suggest that platinum-based chemotherapy is more effective against ERCC1-negative and exon 19-positive NSCLC.
Division of Respirology, Neurology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
Fumie
F
Yamashita
Koichi
K
Azuma
Tsukasa
T
Yoshida
Kazuhiko
K
Yamada
Akihiko
A
Kawahara
Satoshi
S
Hattori
Hiroaki
H
Takeoka
Yoshiaki
Y
Zaizen
Tomotaka
T
Kawayama
Masayoshi
M
Kage
Tomoaki
T
Hoshino
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D018773:Genes, erbB-1; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C071447:ERCC1 protein, human; D004720:Endonucleases; D002945:Cisplatin