title: Fluorescencein situhybridization analysis of theALKgene in 2,045 non-small cell lung cancer patients from North-Western Spain (Galicia).
abstract: Identification of anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements is a standard diagnostic test in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The current study describes the experience ofALKrearrangement detection of a referral center in the public health care system of Galicia in North-Western Spain. The fluorescencein situhybridization (FISH) patterns of theALKgene and the clinical and pathological features of these patients are reported. This study is also of interest for comparative purposes due to the relative geographical isolation of the area, which could have contributed to particular genetic features. A total of 2,045 tissue samples from NSCLC patients were collected between October 2010 and July 2015 and tested forALKrearrangements by FISH. Examination of 1,686 paraffin-embedded tissue specimens and 395 cytological samples (306 cell block preparations and 53 cytological smears) was conducted, and any associations between the FISH results and clinicopathological features were assessed. The rate of successful evaluation was marginally higher in tissue samples than in cytological samples (92.9% vs. 84.1%); this difference was not significant.ALKrearrangements were identified in 82 patients(4%): 65 (79.3%) in tissue specimens, 15 (18.3%) in cell block samples and 2 (2.4%) in cytological smears. This genetic translocation appeared to be associated with a non-smoking history, younger age, female gender, stage IV and adenocarcinoma histological type. The findings demonstrate thatALKevaluation by FISH is feasible in tissue and cytological samples. The clinical and pathological features of theALK-positive series of patients are similar to those previously reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Ares
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cameselle-Teijeiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Lucus Augusti University Hospital, SERGAS, 27003 Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Estévez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Complex, SERGAS, 36312 Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lázaro-Quintela
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Ángel
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Boquete
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Complex Arquitecto Marcide-Novoa Santos, SERGAS, 15405 Ferrol, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Afonso-Afonso
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Complex, SERGAS, 36312 Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casal-Rubio
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, University Hospital Complex, SERGAS, 36312 Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: González-Piñeiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rico-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical University Hospital, SERGAS, 32005 Ourense, Spain.
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fírvida-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical University Hospital, SERGAS, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruíz-Bañobre
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Couso
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Povisa Hospital, 36211 Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santomé
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Becerra
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical University Hospital, SERGAS, 15006 A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Campelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Centro Oncológico de Galicia, 15009 A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amenedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical University Hospital, SERGAS, 36164 Pontevedra, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azpitarte-Raposeiras
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Antúnez
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, Galician Healthcare Service (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Ihab
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdulkader
keywords: anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase; biopsy; cytology; fluorescence in situ hybridization; non-small cell lung cancer