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

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.