Profile of the therascreen® EGFR RGQ PCR kit as a companion diagnostic for gefitinib in non-small cell lung cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Gefitinib is recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR mutations. The therascreen® EGFR RGQ PCR Kit is approved as a companion diagnostic to select patients with EGFR exon 19 deletions and L858R mutation for treatment with gefitinib. Areas covered: This article reviews the methods for detecting EGFR mutations, the technology and indication of the therascreen® kit, and the clinical utility of the assay in phase 3 and phase 4 clinical trials. Studies that compared the performance of the therascreen® kit with other assays and assessed the kit's application in non-tissue samples are also discussed. Expert commentary: The therascreen® kit is a highly sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction test that provides standardised testing and automated interpretation of EGFR mutation status in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. Although not indicated for these applications, the test has also shown utility in detecting uncommon sensitizing EGFR mutations as well as mutations in non-tissue samples.