EGFR mutation not prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer

Smoking status seems to be most important prognostic factor

2013-01-15

(Press-News.org) DENVER – Recent studies have demonstrated that molecular-targeted agents, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), may prolong survival of selected patients based on tumor biomarkers. The presence of mutation in the EGFR gene is known as a predictive marker for the response to treatment. However, whether or not these EGFR mutations are prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been known. A recent study published in the February 2013 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology, concludes EGFR mutations are not a prognostic factor in surgically resected patients or patients with recurrence treated with conventional therapies. However, after disease recurrence, administration of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors can prolong survival.

A prognostic marker is a patient characteristic or tumor factor that predicts the patient outcome, independent of the treatment. In the study, researchers retrospectively collected a series of samples from patients who underwent surgery whose EGFR mutations status had been tested, then analyzed patient survival. The patients were seen between June 1998 and February 2010 at the Seoul National University Hospital. And after excluding some patients, researchers analyzed data from 863 patients.

They concluded that although the EGFR mutation is a predic¬tive marker for EGFR TKI response, the presence of EGFR mutation is not a prognostic factor in NSCLC.

The researchers believe, "the clinical observation that patients with EGFR mutation seem to survive longer may be because EGFR mutation is more frequently associated with other significant prognostic factors, such as age, stage, or smoking status. On the basis of our results, the pathologic stage seems to affect the prognosis by influenc¬ing the cancer recurrence, and smoking status seems to be the most important prognostic factor for overall survival."

### The lead author of this work is IASLC member Dr. Young Tae Kim. Co-authors include IASLC members Dr. Ikhyu Park and Dr. Chang Hyun Kang.

About the IASLC: The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated to the study of lung cancer. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 3,500 lung cancer specialists in 80 countries. To learn more about IASLC please visit www.iaslc.org. END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Patients with EGFR exon 20 insertions have poorer prognosis

2013-01-15

DENVER – Exon 20 insertions are the third most common family of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations found in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Little is known about cancers harboring these mutations aside from their lack of response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, impairing the development of effective targeted therapies. A recent study published in the February 2013 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology, concludes that patients with EGFR exon 20 insertions have similar clinical characteristics ...

Comparable patterns of failure between SBRT, lobectomy or pneumonectomy for stage I NSCLC

2013-01-15

DENVER – For patients with medically operable clinical stage I non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), lobectomy or pneumonectomy is the standard approach. For patients with medically inoperable stage I NSCLC, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has become a standard of care. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine wanted to compare the patterns of failure (primary tumor control, local control, regional control, and distant control) between each method. A recent study published in the February 2013 issue of the International Association for the Study ...

When wanting is more important than having: Will that new car really make you happy?

2013-01-15

Materialistic consumers may derive more pleasure from desiring products than they do from actually owning them, and are willing to overspend and go into debt because they believe that future purchases will transform their lives, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Thinking about acquisition provides momentary happiness boosts to materialistic people, and because they tend to think about acquisition a lot, such thoughts have the potential to provide frequent mood boosts. But the positive emotions associated with acquisition are short-lived. Although ...

The housing market: Consumers struggle to get the price right

2013-01-15

Consumers systematically mispredict both the selling and purchase prices of other consumers due to a lack of cognitive and emotional connection, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "As sellers, consumers fail to appreciate the extent to which endowment and the prospect of giving up an object and not getting to enjoy its benefits influence other owner valuations. On the other hand, as buyers, consumers fail to realize the extent to which lack of ownership and the prospect of giving up money to purchase an object impact other buyer valuations," ...

Fashion blogs: How do ordinary consumers harness social media to become style leaders?

2013-01-15

The Internet has given consumers the unprecedented opportunity to reach a mass audience and thereby advance their social position through displays of good taste, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Ordinary consumers were previously limited to sharing their views and tastes within their circle of friends and acquaintances, and only media professionals and others in powerful positions could reach a mass audience. But the Internet has made it possible for ordinary consumers to reach a mass audience or 'grab hold of the megaphone' through blogs, ...

Are consumers with fewer friends more likely to take financial risks?

2013-01-15

Feeling socially isolated causes consumers to pursue riskier but potentially more profitable financial opportunities, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Seeking social acceptance and maintaining close relationships are among the most fundamental and universal human needs. Consumers are often willing to invest or sacrifice important resources to secure social bonds. In the absence of social support, consumers seek significantly more money to secure what they want out of the social system surrounding them. Feeling socially rejected triggers riskier ...

How does family life influence consumer response to television advertising?

2013-01-15

Family interaction and everyday activity strongly influence how television advertisements are experienced and interpreted at home, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "It is common to link advertising viewing at home to increased levels of materialism and domestic tension stemming from 'pester power' (children getting parents to buy something by asking for it repeatedly until they get it). While these are serious issues, we have found that creative and skilled viewers of television advertising in the family living room can overturn and personalize ...

Don't read my lips! Body language trumps the face for conveying intense emotions

2013-01-15

Be it triumph or crushing defeat, exhilaration or agony, body language more accurately conveys intense emotions, according to recent research that challenges the predominance of facial expressions as an indicator of how a person feels. Princeton University researchers report in the journal Science that facial expressions can be ambiguous and subjective when viewed independently. The researchers asked study participants to determine from photographs if people were experiencing feelings such as loss, victory or pain from facial expressions or body language alone, or from ...

Major step toward an Alzheimer's vaccine

2013-01-15

This press release is available in French. Quebec City, January 15, 2013—A team of researchers from Université Laval, CHU de Québec, and pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has discovered a way to stimulate the brain's natural defense mechanisms in people with Alzheimer's disease. This major breakthrough, details of which are presented today in an early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), opens the door to the development of a treatment for Alzheimer's disease and a vaccine to prevent the illness. One of the main characteristics ...

Youth mentoring linked to many positive effects, new CAMH and Big Brothers Big Sisters study shows

2013-01-15

Toronto, January 15, 2013 –The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada (BBBSC) are releasing the first results of one of the largest mentoring studies ever conducted. The five-year study, which tracks the experiences of almost 1,000 children and teenagers registered with Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Canada, found that those with a mentor are significantly more confident in their academic abilities and considerably less likely to display behavioural problems. One stand out finding is that girls in the study with ...

EGFR mutation not prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: