Biomarkers of clinical benefit for anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer
2011

Biomarkers for Lung Cancer Treatment

publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Pallis A G, Fennell D A, Szutowicz E, Leighl N B, Greillier L, Dziadziuszko R

Primary Institution: University General Hospital of Heraklion

Hypothesis

Can molecular biomarkers predict the response of non-small-cell lung cancer patients to anti-EGFR treatment?

Conclusion

EGFR mutation status is the strongest predictor for selecting NSCLC patients for first-line treatment with EGFR inhibitors.

Supporting Evidence

  • EGFR mutations are linked to better responses to EGFR inhibitors.
  • High EGFR gene copy number is associated with improved survival in some studies.
  • Immunohistochemistry results for EGFR can vary in predictive value.

Takeaway

Doctors can use certain tests to find out if lung cancer patients will respond well to specific treatments, helping them choose the best medicine.

Methodology

The study involved a bibliographic search of Medline and manual searches of meeting abstracts to gather data on biomarkers in NSCLC.

Potential Biases

Potential biases exist due to the retrospective nature of some analyses and the variability in study designs.

Limitations

The predictive value of some biomarkers was not confirmed in all studies, and results may be biased due to retrospective analyses.

Participant Demographics

The study included various populations, including Asian patients and those from multiple clinical trials.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 0.10–0.25

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/bjc.2011.207

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication