title: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocation in paediatric malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: a case report of novel ALK-related tumour spectrum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of paediatric malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) with evidence of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe a 10-year-old girl who presented with abdominal pain and progressive abdominal distension. She had no history of asbestos exposure. Histopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses were performed and showed a biphasic malignant mesothelioma. In addition, we also studied on a selected set of immunomarkers which may be the potential therapeutic molecular targets including ALK, c-kit (CD117), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)/neu, as well as corresponding molecular analysis. Consequently, we identified ALK expression by immunohistochemistry, together with evidence of ALK translocation by fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paediatric MPM is associated with ALK translocation in our case. The results may open up a new avenue for the study of molecular genesis of paediatric malignant mesothelioma in the future and help to determine whether patients MMs with ALK translocation would benefit from ALK inhibitor treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kongsak
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Loharamtaweethong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Napaporn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Puripat
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Services, Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Institute of Pathology, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nadda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aoonjai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Apisada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sutepvarnon
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chanyoot
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandidwattanawong
mesh_terms: D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D000086002:Mesothelioma, Malignant; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
keywords: anaplastic lymphoma kinase; child; malignant peritoneal mesothelioma