Assessment of ALK Status by FISH on 1000 Spanish Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

• Published in: Journal of thoracic oncology Vol. 9; no. 12; pp. 1816 - 1820
• Main Authors: Vidal, Joana, Clavé, Sergi, de Muga, Silvia, González, Iria, Pijuan, Lara, Gimeno, Javier, Remón, Jordi, Reguart, Noemí, Viñolas, Nuria, Gironés, Regina, Bernet, Laia, Majem, Margarita, Bosch-Barrera, Joaquim, Porta, Rut, Alonso, Nieves, Palmero, Ramón, Taus, Álvaro, Albanell, Joan, Espinet, Blanca, Salido, Marta, Arriola, Edurne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2014; Copyright by the European Lung Cancer Conference and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
• Subjects: ALK; Biopsy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - enzymology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - genetics; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Cytology; Female; FISH; Gene Rearrangement; Humans; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence - methods; Lung Neoplasms - enzymology; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Non-small cell lung cancer; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - genetics; Retrospective Studies; ALK; FISH; Biopsy; Non-small cell lung cancer; Cytology
• ISSN: 1556-0864; 1556-1380
• DOI: 10.1097/JTO.0000000000000361

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement selectively respond to ALK inhibitors. Thus, identification of ALK rearrangements has become a standard diagnostic test in advanced NSCLC patients. Our institution has been a referral center in Spain for ALK determination by Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The aim of our study was to assess the feasibility and the FISH patterns of the ALK gene and to evaluate the clinical and pathological features of patients with ALK alterations. Between 2010 and 2014, 1092 samples were evaluated for ALK using FISH technique (927 histological samples, 165 cytological samples). Correlation with available clinical-pathological information was assessed. ALK rearrangement was found in 35 patients (3.2%). Cytological samples (using either direct smears or cell blocks), were more frequently non-assessable than histological samples (69% versus 89%, respectively) (p < 0.001). Within the ALK-rearranged cases the majority were female, non-smokers, and stage IV. Although assessable in cytological samples, biopsies are preferred when available for ALK evaluation by FISH. The ALK translocation prevalence and the associated clinico-pathological features in Spanish NSCLC patients are similar to those previously reported.