EGFR gene alterations as a prognostic biomarker in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) exhibits abnormalities in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. To identify a prognostic marker, the overexpression of EGFR protein, mutations in EGFR and p53 mutations were analyzed in pretreatment biopsy specimens removed from T3-4 and/or M1 LYM ESCC patients who received chemoradiotherapy. A silent mutation comprised of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 787 of exon 20 of the EGFR gene was found in 19 patients (33%). In multivariate analysis, a significant difference was seen in the overall survival (odds ratio; 2.347, 95% confidence interval; 1.183-4.656, p = 0.015) between patients with and without the EGFR heterozygous genotype. Among the 57 eligible patients, 3-year survival rates was 21%, while in patients with EGFR heterozygous genotype the rate were 0%. However, neither overexpression of EGFR nor p53 mutations was associated with the overall survival. These results suggest that the EGFR SNP at codon 787 of exon 20 determined in pretreatment biopsy specimens may be a clinically useful biomarker for predicting the prognosis of ESCC patients.