Background
To investigate the association between squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCAg) level and epidermal growth factor receptor (
EGFR
) mutation status in Chinese lung adenocarcinoma patients.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed 293 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, divided into
EGFR
mutant group (
n
= 178) and
EGFR
wild‐type group (
n
= 115). The general data and laboratory parameters of the two groups were compared. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to analyze the association between SCCAg level and
EGFR
mutation. Generalized additive model was used for curve fitting, and a hierarchical binary logistic regression model was used for interaction analysis.
Results
Squamous cell carcinoma antigen level in the
EGFR
wild‐type group was significantly higher than that in the mutant group (
p
< 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that elevated SCCAg was associated with a lower probability of
EGFR
mutation, with an OR of 0.717 (95% CI: 0.543–0.947,
p
= 0.019). For the tripartite SCCAg groups, the increasing trend of SCCAg was significantly associated with the decreasing probability of
EGFR
mutation (
p
for trend = 0.015), especially for Tertile 3 versus Tertile 1 (OR = 0.505; 95% CI: 0.258–0.986;
p
= 0.045). Curve fitting showed that there was an approximate linear negative relationship between continuous SCCAg and
EGFR
mutation probability (
p
= 0.020), which was first flattened and then decreased (
p
< 0.001). The association between the two was consistent among different subgroups, suggesting no interaction (all
p
> 0.05).
Conclusion
There is a negative association between SCCAg level and
EGFR
mutation probability in Chinese lung adenocarcinoma patients.