Micropapillary lung adenocarcinoma: EGFR, K-ras, and BRAF mutational profile

Am J Clin Pathol. 2009 May;131(5):694-700. doi: 10.1309/AJCPBS85VJEOBPDO.

Abstract

Micropapillary lung adenocarcinoma (MPA) has been reported as an aggressive variant of adenocarcinoma, frequently manifesting at high stage with a poor prognosis. We analyzed the clinical and molecular profile of 15 primary MPAs for K-ras, EGFR, and BRAF mutations and performed fluorescence in situ hybridization for EGFR amplification. In our study, 11 (73%) of 15 MPAs harbored mutually exclusive mutations: 5 (33%) K-ras, 3 (20%) EGFR, and 3 (20%) BRAF. Mutations in all 3 genes occurred in patients with a smoking history and tumors with mucinous differentiation and secondary lepidic, acinar, and solid growth, suggesting that in a Western population, cytomorphologic correlation with genetic mutations is more unpredictable than in Japanese cohorts. We conclude that K-ras, EGFR, and BRAF mutations are disproportionately seen in adenocarcinomas of lung with a dominant micropapillary growth pattern compared with conventional adenocarcinoma in our institutional experience.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • DNA, Neoplasm / analysis
  • Female
  • Genes, erbB-1 / genetics*
  • Genes, ras / genetics*
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mucins / metabolism
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Neoplasm
  • Mucins
  • BRAF protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf