Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations and Radiotherapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Radiotherapy plays a pivotal role in the treatment for lung cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which predicts tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment response may also has effect on radiation response. NSCLC harboring kinase-domain mutations in EGFR exhibits enhanced radio-sensitivity due to dramatically diminished capacity to resolve radiation-induced DSBs (DNA double-strand breaks) associating with the inefficiency of EGFR nuclear translocation. Recently, several preliminary clinical studies show certain efficacy of concurrent EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and radiotherapy. However its further response in EGFR-mutated NSCLC is unclear. The correlation between EGFR mutation genotype and the radiotherapy response and clinical outcome is worthy of further study.