Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Establishing Dual Resistance to EGFR-TKI and MET-TKI in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro with a 2-step Dose-escalation Procedure
09:38

Establishing Dual Resistance to EGFR-TKI and MET-TKI in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro with a 2-step Dose-escalation Procedure

Published on: August 11, 2017

Complex mutation patterns of epidermal growth factor receptor gene associated with variable responses to gefitinib

Meng-Heng Hsieh1, Yueh-Fu Fang, Wen-Cheng Chang

  • 1Department of Thoracic Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, TaoYuan, Taiwan.

Lung Cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|July 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving gefitinib show variable responses. Even with the same EGFR mutation, treatment outcomes and survival can differ significantly.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacogenomics

Background:

  • Gefitinib is a targeted therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).
  • EGFR mutations are key biomarkers for predicting gefitinib response in NSCLC.
  • Understanding the variability in treatment response among patients with EGFR mutations is crucial for optimizing therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between EGFR gene mutations and gefitinib treatment response in NSCLC patients.
  • To evaluate the impact of EGFR mutations on overall survival in NSCLC patients treated with gefitinib.
  • To analyze the patterns of EGFR mutations and their correlation with gefitinib responsiveness.

Main Methods:

  • Mutational analysis of the EGFR kinase domain (exons 18-21) was performed on tumor tissues from 65 NSCLC patients.
  • Patients received gefitinib monotherapy.
  • EGFR mutation status, gefitinib treatment response, and overall survival were evaluated and statistically analyzed.

Main Results:

  • EGFR mutations were identified in 49.2% (32/65) of NSCLC patients, with complex patterns observed in 32 tumors.
  • Gefitinib responsiveness was significantly associated with EGFR mutation and adenocarcinoma subtype.
  • Responders had a longer median survival (15.5 months) than non-responders (9.23 months), though not statistically significant (p=0.056). Non-responders with EGFR mutations had a median survival of 6.2 months.

Conclusions:

  • Response to gefitinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations can be highly variable, even for identical mutation types.
  • EGFR mutation status and adenocarcinoma are significant predictors of gefitinib responsiveness.
  • Further analysis is needed to understand the diverse EGFR mutation patterns and their impact on gefitinib treatment outcomes.

More Related Videos

Establishment and Characterization of Three Afatinib-resistant Lung Adenocarcinoma PC-9 Cell Lines Developed with Increasing Doses of Afatinib09:38

Establishment and Characterization of Three Afatinib-resistant Lung Adenocarcinoma PC-9 Cell Lines Developed with Increasing Doses of Afatinib

Published on: June 26, 2019

A Combined 3D Tissue Engineered In Vitro/In Silico Lung Tumor Model for Predicting Drug Effectiveness in Specific Mutational Backgrounds13:34

A Combined 3D Tissue Engineered In Vitro/In Silico Lung Tumor Model for Predicting Drug Effectiveness in Specific Mutational Backgrounds

Published on: April 6, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...