Relationship between EGFR gene mutation and serum tumor biomarkers in advanced lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer has the highest morbidity and mortality in malignant tumor worldwide. EGFR-TKI targeted therapy is a type of treatment with low side effects. However, it needs to clarify EGFR mutation status. Limited to sampling, EGFR mutation test cannot be widely applied. Finding other simple and practical markers to predict EGFR mutation state is of great significance. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between different tumor biomarkers and EGFR mutation in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients for targeted therapy determination, including serum CEA, CA125, CA199, and CYFRA211. Venous blood and tumor tissue were collected from advanced primary lung adenocarcinoma patients in a Guangzhou tumor hospital. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was performed to detect serum CEA, CA125, CA199, and CYFRA211 levels. Sequencing was performed to test EGFR gene fragment after PCR amplification. SPSS13.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Among 312 cases of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients, 163 cases were wild type while 149 cases were mutation, and the mutation rate was 47.76%. EGFR mutation rate in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients was not related to gender and age, while it was high in smokers (P < 0.05). Patients with elevated serum CEA, CA125, and CA199 showed higher EGFR gene mutation rate (P < 0.05). Serum CYFRA211 level was not correlated to EGFR mutation rate (P > 0.05). Serum CEA, CA125, and CA199 levels could be used to predict EGFR gene mutation in advanced lung adenocarcinoma.