Molecular diagnostic in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung treated with erlotinib

Abstract

Activating mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) are most frequently detected in patients with adenocarcinoma histology. The detection of somatic mutations becomes a diagnostic standard and allows qualify non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and especially adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR activating mutations for molecularly targeted therapy against EGFR tyrosine kinase (TKI-EGFR). Development of molecular biology techniques allows using sensitive methods for EGFR mutation analysis as well as detection of mutations in heterozygous materials (tumor tissue samples or cytology samples). Detection of EGFR activating mutation and treatment of patients with TKI-EGFR agents allows to expend a progression-free survival (PFS) as well as better tolerance of therapy. Unfortunately, the early progression of the disease may appears during treatment, what is caused by development of acquired resistance to TKI-EGFR therapy.