ALK positivity on pleuroscopic pleural biopsy in lung adenocarcinoma

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and therapeutics Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 1090 - 1092
• Main Authors: Vaidya, Preyas, Kate, Arvind, Mehta, Deval, Dhabar, Boman, Chhajed, Prashant
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer - Medknow Publications 01.04.2016; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Adenocarcinoma - diagnosis; Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adenocarcinoma - therapy; Adenocarcinoma of Lung; Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; Biomarkers, Tumor; Biopsy; Combined Modality Therapy; Development and progression; Diagnosis; ErbB Receptors - genetics; Evaluation; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Lung Neoplasms - therapy; Middle Aged; Molecular diagnostic techniques; Mutation; Pleura - pathology; Protein kinases; Radiography, Thoracic; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - genetics; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - metabolism; Thoracoscopes; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; EGFR mutation; pleuroscopy; ALK mutation; adenocarcinoma of lung; pleural biopsy
• ISSN: 0973-1482; 1998-4138
• DOI: 10.4103/0973-1482.154053

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and around 75% to 80% of lung cancers are detected in advanced stage. Multiple genetic mutations are identified and reported in adenocarcinoma of the lung. Various pulmonary samples can be tested for molecular mutations in lung cancer. However, feasibility of molecular profiling of pleuroscopic pleural biopsies in lung adenocarcinoma is not reported. We describe a case of advanced adenocarcinoma of lung with positive anaplastic lymphoma tyrosine kinase mutation on pleuroscopic pleural biopsy and improved with oral crizotinib. The current case highlights the feasibility of pleuroscopy.-guided pleural biopsies in molecular profiling of lung adenocarcinoma.