title: The central nervous system as a sanctuary site in ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements define a distinct molecular subset of non-small-cell lung cancer that is highly responsive to treatment with the ALK inhibitor crizotinib. Recently, it has been recognized that the brain is a frequent site of relapse among ALK-positive patients treated with crizotinib. In this report, we expand on these observations and present a series of ALK-positive patients with two distinct forms of metastatic, central nervous system involvement: intramedullary spinal cord metastasis and leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Medicine, ‡Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and †Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California.
authors.forename: Justin F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gainor
authors.forename: Sai-Hong Ignatius
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Lawrence F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Alice T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D055756:Meningeal Carcinomatosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*
chemical_list: C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases