Science and Research

An advanced NSCLC patient with ALK-RNF144A and HIP1-ALK fusions treated with ALK-TKI combination therapy: a case report

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement is one of the most important drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the effectiveness to canonical 3'-ALK fusions, the clinical efficacy of ALK inhibitors in patients with complex ALK fusions, such as nonreciprocal/reciprocal translocation remains uncertain. Exploring the optimal therapeutic regimens for this subset of patients is of crucial clinical significance. CASE DESCRIPTION: We reported a female patient diagnosed with stage IVB lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) harboring a novel ALK-RNF144A fusion, concurrent with a Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 (HIP1)-ALK fusion and a RB1 loss-of-function variant. The patient sequentially received multiple lines of treatment with ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), chemotherapy, radiotherapy and ALK-TKI combined with anti-angiogenesis. Disease progression accompanied by a squamous cell carcinoma transformation was indicated after ALK-TKI combined with anti-angiogenesis and both ALK-RNF144A and HIP1-ALK fusions were retained in the tumor. The patient was subsequently treated with a third generation ALK-TKI, lorlatinib, in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel and anlotinib, and then achieved stable disease. The patient remained on the treatment as of the last follow-up resulting in an overall survival (OS) of more than 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: We have reported an advanced NSCLC patient with a complex nonreciprocal/reciprocal ALK translocation containing a novel ALK-RNF144A fusion, concurrent with a RB1 loss-of-function mutation, who subsequently experienced pathological squamous cell carcinoma transformation. The combined treatment with ALK-TKI, chemotherapy, and anti-angiogenesis demonstrates clinical efficacy and may provide optional therapeutic strategies for this phenotype.

  • Li, H.
  • Liu, J.
  • Lan, S.
  • Zhong, R.
  • Cui, Y.
  • Christopoulos, P.
  • Schenk, E. L.
  • Sasaki, T.
  • Cheng, Y.

Keywords

  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  • case report
  • combined treatment
  • nonreciprocal/reciprocal ALK translocation
  • ring finger protein 144A (RNF144A)
Publication details
DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-23-656
Journal: Transl Lung Cancer Res
Pages: 2538-2549 
Number: 12
Work Type: Original
Location: TLRC
Disease Area: LC
Partner / Member: Thorax
Access-Number: 38205210

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