Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents the paradigm of personalized treatment of human cancer. Several oncogenic druggable alterations have been so far identified, with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements being one of the newest and most appealing. Presence of ALK fusions is associated with some particular clinical and pathological features, including a preferential seeding into the central nervous system (CNS). In addition, ALK rearrangements are recognized as the strongest predictor for benefit of anti-ALK therapy. Crizotinib, the first ALK inhibitor (ALK-I) licensed in clinical practice, is the standard of care for newly diagnosed patients. Unfortunately, within the first year of treatment the majority of patients become insensitive to crizotinib, with approximately one third of them developing brain metastases (BMs). Optimal management of BMs is one of the major challenges in treating ALK positive NSCLC. Several novel and highly CNS penetrant ALK-Is are currently under investigation and available data clearly indicated their ability in controlling intracranial disease.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
