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Two sides of the same coin: EGFR exon 19 deletions and insertions in lung cancer

Katerina Politi1, Thomas J Lynch

  • 1Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. katerina.politi@yale.edu

Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research
|February 10, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Lung adenocarcinoma patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 insertion mutations show sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Testing for these mutations is recommended for targeted therapy benefits.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacogenomics

Background:

  • Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are key drivers in lung adenocarcinoma.
  • Specific EGFR mutations predict response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the sensitivity of EGFR exon 19 insertion mutations to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
  • To determine the clinical utility of testing for these specific mutations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of lung adenocarcinoma patient data.
  • Correlation of EGFR mutation status with TKI treatment response.

Main Results:

  • EGFR exon 19 insertion mutations were found to confer sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
  • Patients with these mutations are likely to benefit from TKI therapy.

Conclusions:

  • EGFR exon 19 insertion mutations represent a targetable alteration in lung adenocarcinoma.
  • Routine testing for these mutations is warranted to guide TKI treatment selection.

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