Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2022, 166(3):274-279 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.007

Cheng-Cheng Hwanga, b, Tsan-Yu Hsieha, b, Kun-Yang Yehb, c, Tzu-Ping Chenb, d, Chung-Ching Huab, e, Liang-Che Changa, b, Jim-Ray Chena, b a Department of Pathology, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan b College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, Taiwan c Department of Oncology and Hematology, Division of Medicine, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan d Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan e Department of Thoracic Medicine, Division of Medicine, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan

Aim: Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are predominantly detected in pulmonary adenocarcinoma and have been reported in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) for decades. This retrospective single-center study aimed to determine the frequency and types of EGFR mutations in SCLC in Taiwan.

Methods: This study comprises a consecutive cohort of 161 patients histologically diagnosed with SCLC between January 1992 and August 2014 at the Department of Pathology in Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. Archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from 71 patients were eligible for molecular analysis. EGFR mutation analysis was performed using a fully-automated IdyllaTM EGFR Mutation Test and confirmed a comparable result through Qiagen Therascreen® EGFR RGQ PCR. In addition, EGFR gene copy number was assessed in EGFR-mutated tumors by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Results: Mutational status of the EGFR gene was successfully analyzed in 63 specimens by both IdyllaTM and Qiagen platforms. Both methods detected L858R point mutation in exon 21 in an 81-year-old female and a 47-year-old male non-smoker. Both tumors show no concurrent EGFR gene amplification. The overall agreement between results obtained with the Idylla™ EGFR Mutation Test and Qiagen Therascreen® EGFR RGQ PCR was 100% Conclusions. Our results showed that EGFR mutation is a rare mutation type in a consecutive series of de novo SCLC. Furthermore, the performance of Idylla™ EGFR Mutation Test and Qiagen Therascreen® EGFR RGQ PCR on archived paraffin sections of limited quantities is available with the high agreement of results.

Keywords: small cell lung cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor, gene mutation, gene amplification, IdyllaTM

Hwang, C., Hsieh, T., Yeh, K., Chen, T., Hua, C., Chang, L., & Chen, J. (2022). A rare epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation in small cell lung carcinoma patients. Biomedical Papers,166(3),274-279. doi:10.5507/bp.2022.007

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