Epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in gastric cancer

SummaryAimsEpidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and KirstenRAS (KRAS) mutations have been identified as predictors of response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in nonsmall cell lung cancer. We aimed to screen the mutations of both genes in gastric carcinoma to detect the suitability of EGFR TKIs for patients with gastric carcinoma.MethodsWe screened EGFR mutation in exons 19-21 and KRAS mutation in exon 2 in 58 gastric adenocarcinomas from China using high resolution melting analysis (HRMA). Positive samples were confirmed by DNA sequencing.ResultsThree EGFR missense mutations (5.2%) and 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP Q787Q, 37.9%) were identified. To our knowledge, we report for the first time three mutation patterns of EGFR, Y801C, L858R and G863D, in gastric carcinoma. Two samples with EGFR mutation were mucinous adenocarcinoma. These three samples were collected from male patients aged over 75 years old. The frequency of KRAS mutation was 10.3% (6/58). The exclusiveness of EGFR and KRAS mutations was proven for the first time in gastric cancer.ConclusionsGastric carcinoma of the mucinous adenocarcinoma type collected from older male patients may harbour EGFR mutations. The small subset of gastric adenocarcinoma patients may respond to EGFR TKIs.