Targeted Treatment of a Rare Vaginal Sarcoma With an Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase is a tyrosine kinase receptor that can become oncogenic. Crizotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that shows activity in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements that have failed conventional therapies. CASE: A 34-year-old woman presented with a painful 3-cm left vulvar-vaginal mass, which was excised and determined to be a sarcoma with positive surgical margins. Fluorescence in situ hybridization testing of her tumor was conducted and demonstrated anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene rearrangements. A 3-cm mass recurred 1 month later. Treatment with 250 mg crizotinib orally twice daily resulted in complete regression of all visible or palpable tumor within 3 weeks. CONCLUSION: Molecular evaluation techniques can be used to direct targeted therapy for select malignancies. Future technologic advances will expand the number of malignancies for which these treatment approaches can be used.