ALK-positive lung cancer diagnosed with abdominal lymph nodes in a patient receiving hemodialysis

Abstract

There is little consensus in the literature about the administration of crizotinib in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. A 69-year-old male patient, who was receiving regular hemodialysis due to end-stage renal disease, visited the hospital with symptoms of repeated abdominal pain. There was no suspicious finding of cancer within the thorax. After biopsy, the abdominal lymph nodes were identified as adenocarcinoma originating from the lung following computed tomography (CT) scan, and ALK rearrangement was confirmed. The patient achieved a partial response following the administration of crizotinib, although treatment was discontinued because of unknown cholestasis. Overall survival was eight months. Although crizotinib has clear efficacy in patients with ALK-positive lung cancer with end-stage renal disease, the optimal dose of crizotinib should be identified in patients receiving regular hemodialysis.