[Searching for EGFR: current practices]

Screening of EGFR mutations in the 28 molecular biology centers that responded to a questionnaire obtained a mutation rate of 13% during the first semester of 2010. 87% of tested tumors were adenocarcinomas, but 79% of the centers test also other histological types. The main EGFR mutations sites (exons 19 and 21) were tested in all the centers. The most used technique is sequencing, whereas it is considered as the low sensitive test by most of the centers. Therefore many platforms are in the process of improving their technique and for some of them to choose alternative targeted techniques, with also stronger intra- and inter-center quality controls.