A Better Screen for EGFR Gene Mutations

A rapid and sensitive enzymatic method for the screening of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations has been developed.

The presence of EGFR mutations in patients generally correlates with response to targeted cancer therapies. The most common method of detecting these mutations involves direct DNA sequencing isolated from tumor cells that have been taken from pathology specimens. This can involve the need for a relatively large biopsy specimen and excludes a significant number of patient specimens from analysis.

Dr. Pasi A. Janne of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA, USA; www.dana-farbar.org) and colleagues demonstrated that the Transgenomic Inc. (San Jose, CA, USA) Wave HS system combined with Surveyor Nuclease could rapidly detect mutations of the EGFR gene in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Their findings appeared in the February 2006 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

The Transgenomic technology enables analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens without micro- or gross dissection. This increases the amount of usable specimens and will be important in the development of targeted therapeutics and related diagnostic tests.

Transgenomic Inc. designs and manufactures scientific instruments. The technology includes separation for mutation screening, functional genomics, and genotyping for applications in basic research, diagnostics, and forensics.



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