ALK status was assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) in 173 selected advanced NSCLC patients.
ALK gene rearrangements may be easily detected in cytological samples and particularly in direct smears, thereby yielding important improvements in the diagnostic approach to patients with advanced NSCLC.
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene re-arrangements are present in approximately 4% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), mostly in non-smokers with adenocarcinoma.
ALK FISH was prospectively performed on 45 NSCLCs with the ALK/EML4 TriCheck probe (ZytoVision) and the Vysis ALK break-apart probe (Abbott Molecular).
ALK inhibitors have shown systemic efficacy against ALK-rearranged NSCLC in many clinical trials, but the effectiveness of crizotinib in CNS disease is limited by poor blood-brain barrier penetration and acquired drug resistance.
ALK-positive CTCs counts were higher in ALK-positive NSCLC patients (3-15 cells/1.88 mL of blood) compared with ALK-negative NSCLC patients and healthy donors (0-2 cells/1.88 mL of blood).
ALK break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and standard-of-care diagnostic assay, but identification of ALK rearrangements by other methods reported in NSCLC cases that tested negative forALK rearrangements by FISH suggests a significant false-negative rate.
ALK gene rearrangements are identified in 2-5 % of all non-small cell lung cancer and are more common in lifetime non-smokers with adenocarcinoma, but the prevalence of ALK rearrangements is not as well characterized in long-term ex-smokers (quit >10 years prior to diagnosis).
Anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ALK) fusion is a distinct molecular subclassification of NSCLC that is targeted by anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors.
ALK-Testing in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or fluorescence in-situ Hybridisation (FISH)?: Statement of the Germany Society for Pathology (DGP) and the Working Group Thoracic Oncology (AIO) of the German Cancer Society e.V. (Stellungnahme der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pathologie und der AG Thorakale Onkologie der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Onkologie/Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft e.V.).
Anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (<i>ALK</i>), ROS proto-oncogene 1, receptor tyrosine kinase (<i>ROS1</i>), and ret proto-oncogene (<i>RET</i>) fusions are present in 5%-7% of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); their accurate identification is critical to guide targeted therapies.