Fatal Haemoptysis Associated with Dramatic Response to Crizotinib in an ALK-Rearranged Lung Adenocarcinoma

Abstract

The presence of an ALK (Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase) rearrangement is a rare molecular feature in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC), and concerns mainly non- or light smokers, young patients, with adenocarcinoma histological type. These tumours are particularly sensitive to Alk-targeted therapies, as crizotinib. Crizotinib is usually well-tolerated. We report a case of fatal haemoptysis associated with dramatic response to crizotinib in a patient with an ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma. The patient presented a mediastinal invasion with tracheal involvement and compression of the right pulmonary artery. The initial evolution under crizotinib was good with tumour response. At 6 weeks of crizotinib the patient presented a massive haemoptysis with a tracheobronchial fistula and pneumomediastinum. She died of acute respiratory failure. Our case is the first to report a fatal effect of crizotinib associated with tumour necrosis and good tumour response on a massive mediastinal infiltration. Precautions are recommended with the use of crizotinib in proximal lung tumours with vascular invasion.

Keywords

• alk rearrangement
• non-small cell lung carcinoma
• pneumomediastinum