Discordance of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation between primary lung tumor and paired distant metastases in non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeTo evaluate the rate of discordance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation between primary lung tumor and paired distant metastases in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsWe performed a meta-analysis of 17 studies (518 cases) assessing discordance rates of EGFR mutation in primary tumors and paired distant metastases. We performed subgroup analyses based on EGFR mutation status in primary tumor (mutant or wildtype), site of distant metastasis (bone, central nervous system (CNS) or lung/ pleural), methods of testing (direct sequencing or allele-specific testing) and timing of metastasis (synchronous or metachronous).ResultsThe overall discordance rate in EGFR mutation was low at 10.36% (95% CI = 4.23% to 18.79%) and varied widely between studies (I2 = 83.18%). The EGFR discordance rate was statistically significantly higher in bone metastases (45.49%, 95% CI = 14.13 to 79.02) than CNS (17.26%, 95% CI = 7.64 to 29.74; P = 0.002) and lung/ pleural metastases (8.17%, 95% CI = 3.35 to 14.85; P ConclusionThe overall discordance rate in EGFR mutation between primary lung tumor and paired distant metastases in NSCLC is low, although higher discordance rates were observed in bone metastases compared with CNS and lung/pleural metastases. Future studies assessing the impact of EGFR mutation discordance on treatment outcomes are required.