METHOD FOR DETERMINING RESPONSIVENESS OF CANCER TO EPIDERMAL CELL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR TARGETING TREATMENT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new method for determining the possibility of effectiveness of an epidermal cell growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting treatment in a human patient affected by cancer, and to provide a treatment method.SOLUTION: The method for determining the responsiveness of cancer to an epidermal cell growth factor receptor (EGFR) treatment is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the presence of at least one variance in the kinase domain of the erbB 1 gene confers sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. Thus, a diagnostic assay for these mutations allows for the administration of gefitinib, erlotinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors to those patients most likely to respond to the drug.