Background and purpose: Lung cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and cancer-related mortality worldwide. A variety of driver genes were detected in lung cancer. Studies have shown that different gene mutations of lung cancer were found between different races. Most of Uyghurs live in Xinjiang

accompanied by a high morbidity of lung cancer. This study aimed to investigate the expression of driver genes in Uyghur patients with lung cancer in Xinjiang

China. Methods: This study collected the tissue specimens of 43 Uyghur patients with lung cancer

with a very different method to detect EGFR gene expression. real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTFQ-PCR) was used to detect K-ras

ALK

ROS1

mutated BRAF and PIK3CA gene expression. Analysis of the correlation between lung cancer gene mutations in Uyghur and clinical features of patients with lung cancer were performed. Results: Among 43 cases of specimens

EGFR mutation rate was 11.63%

while the EGFR gene mutation rates in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were 26.67% and 4.76%

respectively. EGFR gene mutation was not detected in large cell carcinoma

adenosquamous carcinoma and small cell lung cancer. EGFR gene mutation rate in patients with adenocarcinoma (26.67%) was significantly higher than that in other types of lung cancer (3.57%). The difference was statistically significant  P=0.024). There were 6 patients with K-ras12/13 heterozygous mutation

and the mutation detection rate was 16.28% (6/43). There were 2 patients with PIK3CA heterozygous mutation

and the mutation detection rate was 4.65% (2/43). EGFR and K-ras mutations occurred simultaneously in 1 case. No relationship was found between EGFR mutations and age

gender

smoking status

TNM staging

ECOG score among Uyghur lung cancer patients. This study did not find mutation in ALK

ROS1 fusion gene and BRAF gene among the 43 specimens. Conclusion: Compared with Asian populations

Xinjiang Uyghur patients with lung cancer have a lower rate of EGFR mutations and a higher rate of K-ras mutations

which is similar to the characteristics of European Caucasians.