The TheraScreen®: EGFR29 Mutation Kit is a one-step diagnostic kit produced by DxS specifically to test for EGFR mutations in tumours of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The TheraScreen®: EGFR29 Mutation Kit is designed to detect the 29 most common EGFR mutations against a background of wild-type genomic DNA.
The test kit uses a PCR-based assay where specific areas of DNA containing mutations are targeted by ARMS® (Amplification Refractory Mutation System) primers and Scorpions® technology is used to amplify and detect those specific areas of DNA.
- Techniques based on ARMS® primers are less time consuming and more sensitive than screening technologies such as DNA sequencing
Best practice
- Keep the number of freeze-thaw cycles of the reagents to a minimum
- Quantify DNA by quantitative PCR. It is not advisable to quantify using spectrophotometry as this can lead to underestimation of the level of DNA
- Running paraffin embedded sample with just the control assay is recommended to ensure that the sample will amplify and that there is enough DNA present in the sample
- Follow kit guidelines
- Repeat samples when ΔCt (Cycle threshold) is close to the designated cut-off
- The reaction mixes are sensitive to photobleaching. Keep them in their brown-tinted tubes
Further details are available from DxS