Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR): mutational and protein expression analysis in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND Since specific epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) somatic mutations have been demonstrated to influence the response to anti-EGFR therapy in non-small cell lung cancer, EGFR gene mutational analysis of different types of neoplasm is under investigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS EGFR protein expression and gene mutations in exons 18, 19 and 21 were investigated in 49 gastric adenocarcinomas. RESULTS no specific EGFR gene mutations were detected, while EGFR positive staining was detected in 6% of the cases. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that in gastric adenocarcinoma, specific EGFR gene mutations are very rare or absent and the rate of EGFR protein expression is low.