We prospectively addressed whether EGFR and KRAS mutations, EML4-ALK, ROS1 and RET rearrangements, or wild-type (WT), affects radiosurgery outcomes and overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases (BM).
An initial status of stage IV metastatic cancer was more frequently noted in EML4-ALK-positive patients (p = 0.012), with initial brain metastasis frequently observed (p = 0.007).
ALK translocation status was constant between BM and primary tumors in 16 evaluable cases including two cases with ALK-EML4 translocations Among these 16 cases ALK amplification was seen in two BM and none of the primary tumors.
To our knowledge, the present case is the second report of crizotinib-responsive brain metastases due to echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-ALK (EML4-ALK)-rearranged NSCLC.