Hyun Chang1, Yaewon Yang2, Jong-Seok Lee3, Sang-Hoon Jheon4, Yu Jung Kim3, Jin-Haeng Chung5. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, South Korea; Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, International St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Incheon, South Korea. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, South Korea. 4. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, South Korea. 5. Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, South Korea. Electronic address: jhchung@snubh.org.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the prognostic role of amplification and increased expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in surgically resected non-adenocarcinoma of non-small cell lung cancer (NA-NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective study included 114 consecutive NA-NSCLC patients with available tumor tissue and survival data. EGFR gene copy number and protein expression were evaluated using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry in tissue microarray sections, respectively. RESULTS: Among 114 patients, 99 (86.8%) had squamous cell carcinoma histologic features. EGFR gene amplification and high polysomy (EGFR FISH+) were observed in 7.9% and 31.6% of cases, respectively. Patients with EGFR FISH+ had significantly shorter overall survival (P = .011). A multivariate model confirmed that patients with EGFR FISH+ had a significantly greater risk of death than EGFR FISH- patients after adjusting for pathologic stage, presence of pleural invasion, venous invasion, and surgical margins (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.040 to 1.782; P = .025). EGFR protein expression by immunohistochemistry was not associated with overall survival in the same group. Neither EGFR gene amplification nor EGFR immunohistochemistry expression was associated with relapse-free survival. CONCLUSION: An increased EGFR gene copy number in surgically resected NA-NSCLC was associated with worse survival.
PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the prognostic role of amplification and increased expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in surgically resected non-adenocarcinoma of non-small cell lung cancer (NA-NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective study included 114 consecutive NA-NSCLCpatients with available tumor tissue and survival data. EGFR gene copy number and protein expression were evaluated using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry in tissue microarray sections, respectively. RESULTS: Among 114 patients, 99 (86.8%) had squamous cell carcinoma histologic features. EGFR gene amplification and high polysomy (EGFR FISH+) were observed in 7.9% and 31.6% of cases, respectively. Patients with EGFR FISH+ had significantly shorter overall survival (P = .011). A multivariate model confirmed that patients with EGFR FISH+ had a significantly greater risk of death than EGFR FISH- patients after adjusting for pathologic stage, presence of pleural invasion, venous invasion, and surgical margins (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.040 to 1.782; P = .025). EGFR protein expression by immunohistochemistry was not associated with overall survival in the same group. Neither EGFR gene amplification nor EGFR immunohistochemistry expression was associated with relapse-free survival. CONCLUSION: An increased EGFR gene copy number in surgically resected NA-NSCLC was associated with worse survival.