Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations and brain metastasis in patients with nonadenocarcinoma of the lung

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and therapeutics Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 318 - 322
• Main Authors: Shin, Dong-Yeop, Lee, Dae, Kim, Cheol, Koh, Jae, Lee, Jae, Baek, Hee, Kim, Sang-We, Choi, Chang-Min, Na, Im
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer - Medknow Publications 01-01-2016; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brain - pathology; Brain cancer; Brain Neoplasms - genetics; Brain Neoplasms - pathology; Brain Neoplasms - secondary; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - genetics; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Care and treatment; Complications and side effects; Development and progression; Female; Gene mutations; Genetic aspects; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Health aspects; Humans; Lung cancer, Non-small cell; Male; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Mutation; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - genetics; Brain; mutation; epidermal growth factor; metastasis; nonsmall cell lung carcinoma
• ISSN: 0973-1482; 1998-4138
• DOI: 10.4103/0973-1482.154024

Objective: This study explored the potential association between epidermal growth.factor receptor. (EGFR) mutation status and brain metastasis in patients with nonadenocarcinoma nonsmall cell lung cancer. (NSCLC).
Patients and Methods: We analyzed clinical data from 286 patients with nonadenocarcinoma NSCLC, who were tested for EGFR mutations and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging at diagnosis. We examined the relationship between EGFR mutation and brain metastasis at initial presentation.
Results: Of the 286 patients, 20 patients (7.0%) had EGFR mutations. EGFR mutations were more frequent in younger patients (11.1% in patients =64 years vs. 3.3% in patients >64 years: P = 0.01), females (21.4% vs. 3.5% in males: P <0.001), never-smokers (25.0% vs. 3.4% in smokers: P < 0.001), and tumors with nonsquamous histology (25.0% vs. 4.1% in squamous histology: P < 0.001). At diagnosis, the frequency of EGFR mutations was significantly different in patients with metastasis to different sites (4.0% [no metastases] vs. 10.4% [extracranial metastases] vs. 40.0% [brain metastases], P < 0.001). The strong association between EGFR mutation and brain metastasis remained significant in multivariate analysis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 9.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] =2.32-40.45; P = 0.002). Associations were also found for EGFR mutation status with nonsquamous histology (adjusted OR = 4.46, 95% CI = 1.46-13.56; P = 0.008).
Conclusion: This study indicates that the likelihood of nonadenocarcinoma patients having EGFR mutant tumors may differ according to brain metastasis and squamous cell histology.