Analysis of the status of EGFR, ROS1 and MET genes in non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the status and distribution of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET), and receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1) genes in patients with non-small cell lung (NSCL) adenocarcinoma.

METHODS: The copy number of the MET gene was detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The splice mutation in exon 14 gene was detected by Sanger sequencing. The mutations in EGFR and the fusion of the ROS1 gene were detected using the fluorescence real-time quantitative PCR method (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS: The gene mutation frequency of EGFR was 46.51%. There were 7 types of mutations; exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R mutations were most frequent. There were 3 cases of double mutations. The MET gene had increased copy numbers in 9.88% of the NSCL adenocarcinoma patients; 3.49% of MET mutations in NSCL adenocarcinoma included 3 intron mutations. The ROS1 gene fusion frequency was 1.74%.

CONCLUSION: The NSCL adenocarcinoma patients who were females, did not have a smoking history, and had high grade of differentiation, had higher EGFR mutation rates. Although the MET gene amplification and ROS1 gene fusion in NSCL adenocarcinoma were low-probability events, detection of the gene status of EGFR, ROS1, and MET will facilitate screening more NSCL adenocarcinoma patients who might benefit from targeted therapy.