Long-term response to crizotinib in a 17-year-old boy with treatment-naïve ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. NSCLC accounts for 80–90% of cases. In young patients, adenocarcinoma is the most frequent histotype and 3–7% expresses the rearrangement of ALK oncogene, sensitive to TKIs. Crizotinib is the first ALK inhibitor approved by the FDA. Case: We present a case of a 17-year-old male with metastatic treatment-naïve ALK-positive adenocarcinoma. He was treated with crizotinib and obtained a prolonged response with PFS of 33 months. Conclusion: Crizotinib can be extremely effective in adolescents with treatment-naïve ALK-positive NSCLC but fail to prevent a central nervous system relapse. Resistance mechanisms need to be investigated.