ALK Rearrangement–Positive Pancreatic Cancer with Brain Metastasis Has Remarkable Response to ALK Inhibitors: A Case Report

Kai Ou; Xiu Liu; Weihua Li; Yi Yang; Jianming Ying; Jianming Ying; Lin Yang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.724815

Frontiers in Oncology (Sep 2021)

ALK Rearrangement–Positive Pancreatic Cancer with Brain Metastasis Has Remarkable Response to ALK Inhibitors: A Case Report

Kai Ou,
Xiu Liu,
Weihua Li,
Yi Yang,
Jianming Ying,
Jianming Ying,
Lin Yang

Affiliations

Kai Ou: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Xiu Liu: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Weihua Li: Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Yi Yang: Department of Interventional Therapy, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Jianming Ying: Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Jianming Ying: Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Screening and Research and Development (R&D) of Digestive System Tumor Drugs, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Lin Yang: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.724815
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11

Abstract

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Patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer typically have poor prognosis due to the limited effectiveness of existing treatment options. ALK rearrangement–positive is rare in pancreatic cancer, but may occur in those with KRAS-wild type. We present a 34-year-old young man with ALK rearrangement–positive and KRAS-wild pancreatic cancer who had a remarkable response to crizotinib after resistance to prior chemotherapy and re-response to alectinib after brain metastases developed. This clinical observation suggests that comprehensive molecular profiling to guide targeted therapies is not only feasible, but also significantly improves survival outcomes for a subgroup of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Published in Frontiers in Oncology

ISSN: 2234-943X (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/

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