CHEST Journal | Article

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CHEST Journal | Article

Point/Counterpoint Editorials | March 2013

Counterpoint: Should Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations Be Routinely Tested for in Patients With Lung Cancer? No

David C. L. Lam, MBBS (HK), PhD (HK), FCCP

Author and Funding Information

CHEST. 2013;143(3):600-602. doi:10.1378/chest.12-2548

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This editorial/commentary relates to:

• Point: Should Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations Be Routinely Tested for in Patients With Lung Cancer? Yes (CHEST. 2013;143(3):597-600.)


• Rebuttal From Dr Sterman (CHEST. 2013;143(3):602-603.)


• Rebuttal From Dr Lam (CHEST. 2013;143(3):603-604.)

Article

References

The square one question is why we need to do the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation tests. The answer is that there is corresponding targeted therapy, namely EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), for subjects with tumors that bear EGFR mutations at exons 18 to 21. This is in line with the strategy of personalizing therapy for lung cancer with the ultimate goals of making biomarker-based therapeutic decisions to receive EGFR-TKI and to improve treatment outcome in patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).¹