Korean J Intern Med.  2009 Mar;24(1):48-54. 10.3904/kjim.2009.24.1.48.

EGFR and KRAS Mutations in Patients With Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

• Jang TW
• Oak CH
• Chang HK
• Suo SJ
• Jung MH

• KMID: 1785642
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2009.24.1.48

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) are important in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, and recent reports have revealed racial and geographical differences in mutation expression. METHODS: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of EGFR and KRAS mutations and their correlation with clinical variables in Korean patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung. Formalin-fixed adenocarcinoma specimens from 104 randomly selected patients diagnosed at Kosin University Gospel Hospital from October 1996 to January 2005 were used for the study. RESULTS: We found a high prevalence of EGFR mutations and a low prevalence of KRAS mutations. EGFR mutations were present in 24% (25 of 104) of the samples: one mutation in exon 18, 13 in exon 19, one in exon 20, and 10 in exon 21. The presence of an EGFR mutation was not associated with gender, smoking history, histological grade, age, bronchioalveolar components, or cancer stage in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung. CONCLUSIONS: Mutations of KRAS were present in 9.6% (9 of 94) of the samples: eight in codon 12 and one in codon 13. EGFR mutations were never found in tumors with KRAS mutations, suggesting a mutually exclusive relationship.

Keyword

Adenocarcinoma; EGFR; KRAS; Lung cancer; Mutation

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma/*genetics/metabolism/mortality
Adult
Aged
DNA, Neoplasm/*genetics
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
Korea/epidemiology
Lung Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism/mortality
Male
Middle Aged
*Mutation
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prognosis
Proto-Oncogene Proteins/biosynthesis/*genetics
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor/biosynthesis/*genetics
Retrospective Studies
Survival Rate
ras Proteins/biosynthesis/*genetics