The analysis of c-Met, EGFR, K-Ras, and EML4-ALK in non-small cell lung cancer

WANG Jie; YI Suqin; WANG Huan; ZHOU Jun; GUO Feng

Abstract：Objective To explore the association of the gene amplification of c?Met with the clinical and pathological features in non?small cell lung cancer( NSCLC) patients, and the correlation with other driver genes such as EGFR, K?Ras and EML4?ALK. Methods The c?Met gene amplification status was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization( FISH) in the 108 cases of NSCLC specimens. The expression of c?Met and EML4?ALK fusion gene were detected by real?time quantitative PCR( qRT?PCR) . Mutations of EGFR and K?Ras were detected using PCR?based direct sequencing. The correlation of the gene amplification of c?Met with clinicopath?ologic features and the other driver genes such as EGFR, K?Ras, and EML4?ALK was analyzed. Results ( 1) Among 108 NSCLC pa?tients, c?Met gene amplification was observed in two cases(1?85%). The proportions of c?Met gene amplification in smokers and non?smokers were 2?94% and 1?35%, respectively. The c?Met gene amplification was detected in 1?23% adenocarcinoma patients but none in squamous carcinoma patients. There was separately one patient harboring c?Met gene amplification in stageⅠand stageⅢ( 2?50%;5?00%).(2) The mutation rates of the EGFR and K?Ras gene were 42?59% and 5?56%. The positive rate of EML4?ALK fusion gene was 12?04%. Conclusion The proportion of the gene amplification of c?Met detected by FISH was consistent with c?Met expression levels analysed by qRT?PCR. The four driver genes were almost mutually exclusive. And no correlation was found between c?Met gene amplification and various clinicopathologic features such as age, sex, smoking status, histological types, and clinical stages.