Article and Video CATEGORIES

Cancer Journey

Search By

Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Medical Director at Memorial Cancer Institute, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Florida International University

Chief of Hematology/Oncology
Medical Director of Memorial Cancer Institute

Lung Cancer Video Library - Spanish Language: Video #31 EGFR Mutation: What Is It, and Which Patients Have It?
Mon, 02/13/2017 - 17:25
Author
Luis Raez, MD FACP FCCP
 

Mutación del receptor del factor de crecimiento epidérmico (EGFR): ¿Qué es? Y ¿Qué pacientes lo tienen?

Mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR): What is it? And, what patients have it?

 

 Dr. Luis Raez, MD FACP FCCP

Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Medical Director, Memorial Cancer Institute,
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Florida International University

 

Spanish TRANSCRIPT

Este es un tópico nuevo, pero ya después de cuatro-cinco años de hablar de él, mucha gente ya está familiarizada.

Básicamente las mutaciones EGFR son mutaciones en el receptor EGFR que se localizan específicamente en áreas del cromosoma que son los exones 19 y 21. En esas dos áreas del cromosoma que son esos dos exones, las mutaciones que representa el receptor hace que se sensibilice el receptor para que responda a las terapia blanco. Hemos tenido mucha suerte que ya se hayan aprobado fármacos como gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib que son fármacos que atacan a los tumores que expresan estas mutaciones.

Esta sensibilidad lamentablemente no es permanente, con el tiempo de repente, en unos 10 o 12 meses, se empieza a ver resistencia. Muchas veces estos pacientes están con estas terapias blanco por 10 o 12 meses y después tenemos que cambiar de terapia cuando hay nuevas nutaciones en otros exones que crean resistencia.

Es importante saber que hay que buscar estas mutaciones en los pacientes con cáncer de pulmón. Son mutaciones tumorales, no son mutaciones de línea germinal como en cancer de mama. En el cáncer de mama, se buscan oncogenes como el gen BRCA. Pero todo lo que hablamos del cancer de pulmón, todas las mutaciones se buscan en el tumor.

Hoy en día hemos tenido la suerte de poder identificar DNA tumoral en la sangre. Entonces muchas veces estas mutaciones EGFR se pueden buscar en la sangre o en la orina de los pacientes. Así que podríamos de repente evitar tener que repetir o hacer biopsias, si es que podemos detectarlo en la sangre o en la orina para ayudar a diagnosticar esta mutación.


 

English TRANSCRIPT

This is a new topic, but after four or five years of talking about it, people are getting to know it better.

Basically, mutations in the EGFR are in its receptor and they are located in areas of the chromosome that are the exons 19 and 21. In those two exons, mutations that are represented in the receptor, sensitize it to be able to respond to targeted therapies. We’ve been very lucky in the approval of drugs like gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib, that are drugs that target tumor with these mutations.

Unfortunately, this sensitivity is not permanent. With time, around 10 to 12 months, resistance starts. Many times these patients are in targeted therapies for 10-12 months, and then we have to change therapy because of new mutations in other exons that are creating resistance.

It’s important to know that we have to search for new mutations in lung cancer patients. They are tumoral mutations and not germline mutations like in breast cancer. In breast cancer, we look for oncogenes mutations like in BRCA. But in lung cancer, all the mutations we look for are in the tumor.

Nowadays, we’ve been very lucky to be able to identify tumoral DNA in blood. So, many times, these EGFR mutations can be identified in the blood or urine of the patients. With this, we would be able to avoid biopsies or have to repeat them.

Video Language

Next Previous link

Previous PostNext Post

Related Content

Image
Terapias Dirigidas de Cáncer de Pulmón 2023
Video
En este foro anual de pacientes en vivo, los principales oncólogos torácicos de todo el mundo discuten temas relevantes para los objetivos del cáncer de pulmón, así como mutaciones raras. En esta serie de videos los Doctores Fernando Diaz, Luis Raez, Luis Corrales, Estelamari Rodriguez y Alberto Chiappori presentan el Panel de Discusión donde hablan sobre temas relevantes del cáncer de pulmón. 
Image
Terapias Dirigidas de Cáncer de Pulmón 2023
Video
En este foro anual de pacientes en vivo, los principales oncólogos torácicos de todo el mundo discuten temas relevantes para los objetivos del cáncer de pulmón, así como mutaciones raras. En esta serie de videos los Doctores Fernando Diaz, Luis Raez, Luis Corrales, Estelamari Rodriguez y Alberto Chiappori presentan el Panel de Discusión donde hablan sobre temas relevantes del cáncer de pulmón. 
Image
Targeted Therapies Forum presented in English
Video
This series includes videos from the breakout sessions presented by Dr. Stephen Liu, including the following topics: Safety and Toxicity of Selpercatinib Versus Pralsetinib The Future of RET+ NSCLC Treatment NTRK+ NSCLC: Treatment Options and Side Effects NRG1 Fusions: Treatment Options To watch the complete playlist click here.

Forum Discussions

Stan - Thank you once again for your kind words.  Thank you as well for your donation.  As you know, your donation helps us to exist and continue to fulfill our...

Hi Stan, It's good to hear your voice and know your cheesecakes are still making the rounds.  Though I'm sure startling, I imagine some of those little pockets of the house...

Hi Rutbats,  Welcome to GRACE and thanks for the kind words. 

 

We can't say what you should or shouldn't do and I can't say why your RA doc made their...

Thank you very much for your quick answer, Janine.

I have an appointment with a pulmonologist in 10 days. I will summarize the conversation with him here, so that other people...

Glad to know you're moving forward with a pulmonologist.  The more you know the better the conversation with your pulmonologist.  Remember you can help your docs know what level their conversation...

Hi Terry, Welcome to Grace. 

I saw this exact post somewhere else months back and the only response was to a lab.  I hope that doesn't happen here, we don't allow...

Recent Comments

JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Hi Stan, It's good to hear…
By JanineT GRACE … on Fri, 12/01/2023 - 07:14
Thank you Stan, for your kind words.
By dbrock on Thu, 11/30/2023 - 11:55
Glad to know you're moving…
By JanineT GRACE … on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 11:27
Thank you very much for your…
By rutbats on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 08:07