DOI: 10.4103/jcot.jcot_2_26 ISSN: 3050-5763

The Co-occurrence of EGFR Mutation and 16s rRNA in the Genome of Lung Cancer Patients

Soma Sett, Sangita Dan, Parvez Alam, Palash Dhara, Rabindra Bera, Sparsha Dey, Tisha De, Jayanta Chakrabarti, Sankar Sengupta, Subhranshu Mandal, Amitabh Ray, Chandan Mandal
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Abstract

Background:

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly malignancies worldwide, arising from the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells within lung tissues. Its development is influenced by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle-related factors. Among the major molecular alterations, mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) gene play an important role in lung cancer progression and therapeutic response. Increasing evidence also suggests that the bacterial population of the lower respiratory tract may influence tumor development and progression.

Aim and Objectives:

This study aimed to investigate the association between bacterial 16S rRNA detection and EGFR mutational status in lung cancer patients. The objectives were to determine 16S rRNA positivity, evaluate EGFR mutation status, and assess their distribution according to sex, smoking status, histopathological subtype, and other clinicopathological characteristics.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 100 lung cancer patients were included. Patient samples were evaluated for bacterial 16S rRNA and EGFR mutation status using molecular and immunohistochemical approaches. The association between categorical variables was assessed using the chi-square test, and a P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Among 100 patients, 31 (31%) were 16S rRNA-positive and 69 (69%) were negative. The association between 16S rRNA positivity and sex was not statistically significant ( P = 0.33). In contrast, EGFR mutation positivity showed a statistically significant association in the study population ( P = 0.002). Immunohistochemistry findings demonstrated differential expression patterns among the evaluated molecular markers. The distribution of 16S rRNA was further assessed according to smoking status, adenocarcinoma versus non-adenocarcinoma, sex, and EGFR-positive/negative groups.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest a potential association between bacterial signatures and lung cancer biology. Furthermore, investigation of the lung microbiome and its interaction with EGFR-driven tumor pathways may provide new insights into diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies.

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