ABSTRACT
@#Objective: To detect the mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in peripheral blood of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in Yunnan area with Super-ARMS, and to explore its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. Methods: A total of 222 blood samples from patients with NSCLC were collected between January 2017 to December 2018 in the Molecular Diagnostic Center of Yunnan Cancer Hospital. The EGFR gene mutation in peripheral blood samples was detected by SuperARMS, and the relationship between EGFR gene mutation and clinicopathological features was analyzed. Meanwhile, the independent risk factors influencing EFGR mutation were also analyzed. Results: In the peripheral blood of 222 NSCLC patients, there were 81 cases (36.5%) with EGFR gene mutation. Among them, exon 19 deletion and L858R gene point mutation were the most common (75.3% of total mutation); female patients had a higher mutation rate than male patients (45.9% vs 27.0%); patients <60 years old had a higher incidence of mutation than patients≥60 years old (43.2% vs 28.8%) (P<0.05 or P<0.01); moreover, patients with no history of smoking, no history of radical surgery, adenocarcinoma, advanced stage and no history of chemotherapy had higher incidence of EGFR mutation (43.9% vs 21.6%, 39.2% vs 21.2%, 43.9% vs 4.8%, 39.7% vs 23.3% and 44.0% vs 23.5%) (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that young, no smoking history, adenocarcinoma and no surgical history were independent risk factors for EGFR gene mutation (all P<0.01). Conclusion: In the peripheral blood of patients with NSCLC in Yunnan, the mutation rate of EGFR gene is higher in patients with age<60 years old, adenocarcinoma and non-smoking. Super-ARMS method is more sensitive in the detection of EGFR mutation in peripheral blood of lung cancer patients.