Role of EGFR mutations in lung cancers: prognosis and tumor chemosensitivity

摘要: Lung cancers with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation account for ~40 % of adenocarcinomas in East Asians and ~15 % those Caucasians African Americans, which makes them one the most common molecularly defined lung cancer subsets. The discriminative clinical pathological features EGFR mutations have been intensively studied, predictive role treatment tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) is well established. However, controversial issues remain regarding therapeutic implications cancers. These include prognostic impact mutation, its implication successful anticancer agents other than EGFR-TKIs, appropriate cytotoxic this chemosensitivity EGFR-mutation-positive after acquisition resistance to EGFR-TKIs. In review, we discuss these unanswered but important questions, referring vitro studies, basic research, retrospective analyses, results phase III trials.