Correlation between efficacy of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and serum tumor markers in lung adenocarcinoma patients

Clin Lab. 2014;60(9):1439-47. doi: 10.7754/clin.lab.2013.131002.

Abstract

Background: The mutation at epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a clinical predictor of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level was regarded as a predictive factor for the EGFR-TKI efficacy. Are there any other serum markers? This study analysed the correlation between the EGFR-TKI treatment effect and multiple serum tumor markers only in lung adenocarcinoma to find serum predictive markers for the EGFR-TKI efficacy.

Methods: Clinical features, survival time, and serum tumor marker levels before EGFR-TKI treatment were analysed, retrospectively, in 48 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with EGFR-TKI.

Results: With EGFR-TKI treatment, the response rate was 58.3% and disease control rate was 65.6% in lung adenocarcinoma; median survival time was 13.2 months. The efficiency of EGFR-TKI significantly correlated with smoking history and the serum level of CEA and CA199 (p < 0.05). Patients with a higher level of serum CEA and CA199 had a higher disease control rate and longer survival time (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Serum CA199 and CEA levels can predict the response of EGFR-TKI in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / blood
  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma / enzymology
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / mortality
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung
  • Aged
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / blood*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / blood*
  • Disease Progression
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lung Neoplasms / blood
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Smoking / mortality
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • carbohydrate antigen 199, human
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors