Assessment of ALK status by FISH on 1000 Spanish non-small cell lung cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
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.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
*Servei d'Oncologia Mèdica, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain; †Laboratori de Citogenètica Molecular, Department de Patologia, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain; ‡Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain; §Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; ‖Department de Patologia, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain; ¶Medical Oncology Department, Hospital de Mataró, Barcelona, Spain; #Medical Oncology Service, iCMHO, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; **Pathology Department, Hospital Lluís Alcanyís, Xàtiva, Spain; ††Medical Oncology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; ‡‡Medical Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia (ICO), Hospital Universitari Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain; §§Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Spain; ‖‖Pathology Department, Complejo Asistencial de Leon, Castilla y Leon, Spain; and ¶¶Medical Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia (ICO), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Joana
J
Vidal
Sergi
S
Clavé
Silvia
S
de Muga
Iria
I
González
Lara
L
Pijuan
Javier
J
Gimeno
Jordi
J
Remón
Noemí
N
Reguart
Nuria
N
Viñolas
Regina
R
Gironés
Laia
L
Bernet
Margarita
M
Majem
Joaquim
J
Bosch-Barrera
Rut
R
Porta
Nieves
N
Alonso
Ramón
R
Palmero
Alvaro
A
Taus
Joan
J
Albanell
Blanca
B
Espinet
Marta
M
Salido
Edurne
E
Arriola
D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases