Abstract
Cancers are still the major cause of death in Thai population. Personalized treatment that targets specific genes or proteins is efficacious in cancer patients. Various molecular analyses of patients' tumors are used to determine whether they contain somatic mutations that could be used as reliable predictive biomarkers for tailoring therapy. Patients with primary lung adenocarcinomarcinoma harboring activating EGFR gene mutations respond well to targeted treatment by EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Approximately 50 percent of Thai lung Adenocarcinomarcinoma patients have these mutated variants of EGFR gene in their tumors. Some patients who do not have EGFR mutation harbor mutations of other genes, such as ALK fusions and BRAF mutations that may benefit from treatment with other targeted therapy. However clinical samples yield nucleic acids in limited quantity and often of low quality. Sensitive molecular assays are therefore crucial to detect these somatic mutations. We engage in the development of new polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays for determination of predictive molecular biomarkers for targeted medications. We have developed assays that efficiently detect clinically important mutant alleles, including mutations in EGFR, BRAF and ALK genes, presented in ultrashort nucleic acid sequences. These simple, highly sensitive and cost-effective mutation detection assays will be useful tools to enhance precision medicine in oncology.
