RESUMO
Background: The use of targeted specific genes in therapeutic and treatment decisions has been considered for lung cancer. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, which is over expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), was considered as one of the targeted specific genes. EGFR mutations in exons 1821, which encode a portion of the EGFR kinase domain, were found in NSCLC patients and were associated with the response of EGFRtyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Therefore, a molecular technique for EGFR mutation detection has important benefits for therapy in NSCLC patients. This study aims to determine the EGFR mutations in patients with NSCLC using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) in exons 18-21. Methods: DNA samples were extracted from formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues of NSCLC patients who attended hospital. The extracted DNA was used as a template for the EGFR gene amplification. Results: Occurrence of EGFR mutations were found in 29 out of 50 cases (58%).The frequency of EGFR mutations by first PCR at exon 18, 19, 20 and 21 were 6 (12%), 19 (38%) 20 (40%) and at 21 (42%), respectively. By PCR-SSCP, the frequencies of EGFR mutations at exon 18, 19, 20 and 21 were 3(6%), 18(36%), 23(46%) and 13(26%), respectively. All of the mutations found were in agreement with DNA sequencings. Conclusion: The high frequency of EGFR mutations in NSCLC suggests that PCR-SSCP is a efficient screening method and useful for treatment plan.