Author | EGFR detection | KRAS detection | Cytological material | Type of fixation | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Janne et al, 200625 | SURVEYOR digestion, RFLP assay and dsDNA sizing by high-performance liquid chromatography | NA | Cell lines and lung biopsies | Frozen and FFPE | Does not require microdissection and more sensitive than the direct sequencing method | Laborious and expensive |
Nomoto et al, 200629 | HRMA | NA | FNA | Ethanol fixed | High sensitivity and specificity | Detection of known mutations |
Smith et al, 200731 | HRMA | NA | FNA | Air-dried | High sensitivity and specificity | Detection of known mutations |
Molina et al, 200836 | Laser microdissection in PCR buffer and detection by length analysis of fluorescently labelled PCR products and TaqMan assay | NA | Cell lines on slide | Fresh and FFPE | No need to DNA purification and enrichment of tumour cells | Time consuming, laborious and expensive |
Lim et al, 200937 | WGA and direct sequencing | WGA and direct sequencing | Lung biopsies and FNA | RNA Later (Ambion) | Useful to expand DNA from low-volume biopsies | Requires time and an appropriate WGA kit |
Wu et al, 200838 | Reverse transcriptase PCR coupled direct sequencing | NA | Pleural effusions | Tri-reagent (Molecular Research Center) | Useful to predict the mutational status in pleural effusions | Limited sensitivity, high cost, and time consuming |
Kimura et al, 200639 | Scorpion amplified refractory mutation system | NA | Pleural effusions | Cell pellets frozen at −80°C | More sensitive than the direct sequencing method, simple and very fast | The EGFR Scorpion kit detects the two major somatic mutations |
Wei et al, 200740 | FISH | NA | Bronchial washings and FNA | FFPE | FISH is useful for detecting chromosomal abnormalities | Unable to detect gene mutations |
Yatabe et al, 200641 | Reverse transcriptase PCR-coupled direct sequencing | NA | Small biopsies | FFPE | Does not require a tumour cell enrichment procedure | Limited sensitivity, high cost, and time consuming |
Horiike et al, 200742 | Scorpion amplified refractory mutation system | NA | FNA | Store at −80°C in saline solution | More sensitive than the direct sequencing method | The EGFR Scorpion kit detects the two major somatic mutations |
NA, not analysed; HRMA, high resolution melting analysis; WGA, whole genome amplification; FNA, fine needle aspirates; FFPE, formalin fixed paraffin embedded; FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridisation; RFLP, restriction fragment length polymorphism.