Farah K Khalil1, Soner Altiok. 1. Department of Anatomic Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. Farah.Khalil@Moffitt.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common cause of mortality. Toxins from tobacco smoke are known to increase the risk of lung cancer; however, up to 15% of lung cancer-related deaths in men and up to 50% of lung cancer-related deaths in women occur in people who do not smoke. Despite the fact that chemotherapy generally provides a survival benefit for non-small-cell lung cancer, not every patient will respond to therapy and many experience therapy-related adverse events. Thus, predictive markers are used to determine which patients are more likely to respond to a given regimen. METHODS: We reviewed the current medical literature in English relating to predictive markers that may be positive, such as the presence of an activating EGFR mutation. RESULTS: The advances in using EGFR as a molecular predictive marker were summarized. This biomarker influences therapeutic response in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Clinical evidence supporting its value is also reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of EGFR as a predictive factor in lung adenocarcinoma may help target therapy to individual tumors to achieve the best likelihood for long-term survival and to avoid adverse events from medications unlikely to be effective.
BACKGROUND: Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common cause of mortality. Toxins from tobacco smoke are known to increase the risk of lung cancer; however, up to 15% of lung cancer-related deaths in men and up to 50% of lung cancer-related deaths in women occur in people who do not smoke. Despite the fact that chemotherapy generally provides a survival benefit for non-small-cell lung cancer, not every patient will respond to therapy and many experience therapy-related adverse events. Thus, predictive markers are used to determine which patients are more likely to respond to a given regimen. METHODS: We reviewed the current medical literature in English relating to predictive markers that may be positive, such as the presence of an activating EGFR mutation. RESULTS: The advances in using EGFR as a molecular predictive marker were summarized. This biomarker influences therapeutic response in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Clinical evidence supporting its value is also reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of EGFR as a predictive factor in lung adenocarcinoma may help target therapy to individual tumors to achieve the best likelihood for long-term survival and to avoid adverse events from medications unlikely to be effective.