What gene mutation is associated with Tarceva?

Somatic mutations in the tyrosine kinase (TK) domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are reportedly associated with sensitivity of lung cancers to gefitinib (Iressa), kinase inhibitor. In-frame deletions occur in exon 19, whereas point mutations occur frequently in codon 858 (exon 21).

Does smoking cause EGFR mutation?

Smoking status and EGFR mutation prevalence The EGFR mutation rates among smokers and non-smokers were 41.9% and 70.0%, respectively (odds ratio [OR], 0.31 [95% CI, 0.28–0.34]; P < 0.001).

What percentage of NSCLC has EGFR mutations?

The prevalence of EGFR gene mutations in NSCLC cases has been reported from 3% to 40% by previous studies worldwide [11-15]. In this study EGFR mutation is found in 36 % of NSCLC patients.

What does EGFR positive mean?

EGFR-positive lung cancer represents about 10-15% of lung cancer in the United States and generally appears in adenocarcinoma subtype of non-small cell lung cancer. Patients with lung cancers with EGFR mutations tend to have minimal to no smoking history.

What is EGFR gene mutation?

An EGFR mutation refers to a mutation (damage) to the portion of the DNA in a lung cancer cell which carries the “recipe” for making EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) proteins.

What happens if EGFR is mutated?

A mutation in the gene for EGFR can make it grow too much, which can cause cancer. There are different types of EGFR mutations. If you think of a mutation as a typo in the DNA, you can have missing or added words in the DNA, sometimes called deletions or insertions.

How common is EGFR mutation?

Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene occur in 10–20% of Caucasian and at least 50% of Asian non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients [[1], [2], [3], [4]].

When to use Tarceva in patients with NSCLC?

Tarceva® is also indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. In patients with tumours without EGFR activating mutations, Tarceva® is indicated when other treatment options are not considered suitable.

How many NSCLC patients have mutations in EGFR?

About 10% of NSCLC patients have tumors with a mutation in the EGFR gene, approximately 43% of the EGFR mutations in NSCLC are exon 21 (L858R) mutations and 48% have a deletion of exon 19.

Is there a mutation test for erlotinib or Tarceva?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved a companion diagnostic test for erlotinib (Tarceva), an oral cancer drug. The cobas EGFR mutation test detects mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) gene.

How is gefitinib used to treat NSCLC cancer?

EGFR inhibitors such as gefitinib have proven successful in the treatment of certain cancers, particularly non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) harboring activating mutations within the EGFR gene, but the molecular mechanisms leading to tumor regression remain unknown. Therefore, we wished to delineate these mechanisms.