ALK Rearrangement Adenocarcinoma with Histological Transformation to Squamous Cell Carcinoma Resistant to Alectinib and Ceritinib

• Main Authors: Kaiho T, Nakajima T, Iwasawa S, Yonemori Y, Yoshino I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-02-01
• Series: OncoTargets and Therapy
• Subjects: lung adenocarcinoma; anaplastic lymphoma kinase; transformation; squamous cell carcinoma; acquired resistance
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/alk-rearrangement-adenocarcinoma-with-histological-transformation-to-s-peer-reviewed-article-OTT
• ISSN: 1178-6930

Taisuke Kaiho,1 Takahiro Nakajima,1 Shunichiro Iwasawa,2 Yoko Yonemori,3 Ichiro Yoshino1 1Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan; 2Department of Respirology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan; 3Department of Pathology, Chiba Rosai Hospital, Chiba, JapanCorrespondence: Takahiro NakajimaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, JapanTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [e-mail]: Specific tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are widely used for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancers with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations. However, most treated patients eventually develop resistance to the TKIs. The histological transformation into small cell carcinoma is well known to be the underlying mechanism for acquired resistance; however, transformation to squamous cell carcinoma is extremely rare. We, herein, report a case of ALK rearrangement-positive adenocarcinoma that transformed to squamous cell carcinoma after administration of alectinib, and was found to be resistant to ceritinib.Keywords: lung adenocarcinoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase, transformation, squamous cell carcinoma, acquired resistance