Detecting Mutations in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Mutations in the receptor of the epidermal growth factor receptor () in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are used as biomarkers for predicting the response of treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs). Non-small cell lung cancer patients usually have activating mutations that leads to a very good response when they are treated with EGFR TKIs. Our tumor samples were examined for the presence of sensitive mutations in the gene, resistant mutations or the absence of mutations. To identify the types of the mutation, we used a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Additionally, we evaluated the frequency of mutations and their association with smoking status, gender and histology. The tumor samples ( = 551) were tested for 29 somatic mutations in the gene. Sensitive mutations in the genes were found in 55 NSCLC samples (10.0%). The prevalence of mutations was much higher for females than for males (27.1 . 3.9%, <0.001). The prevalence of mutations was greater in subjects who had never smoked than in smokers (15.0 . 6.08%, <0.003). Additionally, the frequency of mutations was higher in adenocarcinomas than in other histological types (14.9 . 5.1%; <0.001). Our results show that activating mutations on the gene are more frequent in females than in males, in adenocarcinoma than other histological types and in non smokers than smokers.