Frequency of EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma with malignant pleural effusion: Implication of cancer biological behaviour regulated by EGFR mutation.

Objective: A retrospective single-centre study to compare the clinical features of patients with lung adenocarcinoma with and without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.

Methods: Pretreatment medical records of patients with lung adenocarcinoma were reviewed. DNA was extracted from paraffin wax-embedded tumour tissue for analysis of EGFR mutations. Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) was diagnosed by cytopathological testing of pleural fluid.

Results: EGFR mutations (19-Del and L858R) were recorded in 81/283 patients (28.6%). MPE was found in 42/283 patients (14.8%). In patients with stage IV disease, the frequency of EGFR mutations was higher in those with MPE than in those without MPE. EGFR mutations were independently associated with female sex, no history of smoking and presence of MPE.

Conclusions: There was a positive association between EGFR mutation and the presence of MPE. EGFR mutations may play an important role in the formation of MPE.