Lung cancer patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement lose affiliation with labor market at diagnosis.

Aim: The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the labor market affiliation of ALK+ NSCLC patients in long-term treatment as well as overall survival and incidence/prevalence. Materials & methods: Nationwide retrospective study of all patients with ALK+ NSCLC in Denmark diagnosed between 2012 and 2018. Results: During the study period ALK+ NSCLC patients had a median overall survival of 44.0 months and a 7.8-fold increase in disease prevalence. Six months prior to diagnosis, 81% of ALK+ NSCLC patients ≤60 years of age were employed. At the end of the 18-month follow-up period, 36% were employed. Conclusion: ALK+ NSCLC patients have prolonged survival following diagnosis, but a large fraction of patients lose affiliation with the labor market.

The purpose of this study was to examine the employment status and survival of patients with ALK+ NSCLC who are undergoing long-term treatment. The researchers conducted a study analyzing data from all such patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2018 in Denmark. The results showed that ALK+ NSCLC patients had a median overall survival of 44.0 months and a that the number of patients increased almost eightfold during the study period. Prior to diagnosis, 81% of ALK+ NSCLC patients who were 60 years of age or younger were employed. However, at the end of the 18-month follow-up period, only 36% of these patients were still employed. In conclusion, ALK+ NSCLC patients tend to have prolonged survival after diagnosis. However, a considerable proportion of these patients lose their affiliation with the labor market, indicating the impact of the disease on employment status.

ALK+ NSCLC patients have prolonged survival following diagnosis, but a large fraction of patients lose affiliation with the labor market following diagnosis. #alkpositive #lcsm.

Clinical outcomes of ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Real-world clinical outcomes of anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients vary. This study aimed to investigate the treatment and clinical outcomes of all ALK+ NSCLC patients in Denmark in the period 2011-2018, regardless of disease stage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A national pathology database with complete coverage was used to identify ALK+ NSCLC patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2018. Clinical data were obtained through retrospective chart reviews. Overall survival (OS) and duration of treatment (DOT) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methodologies. RESULTS: A total of 209 ALK+ NSCLC patients were included. The cohort had a slight overrepresentation of female patients (56.5%) with a mean age of 61.6 years. Most patients were adenocarcinoma cases (97%) and presented with an ECOG performance status of 0-1 (79%). Stage IIIb-IVb patients comprised 70% of the cohort. The use of ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as first-line treatment increased over time, with the 1st generation ALK-TKI crizotinib being the predominant treatment in the 1st line. In 1st line treatment, 2nd generation ALK-TKIs had a median DOT more than twice the median DOT of crizotinib (25.1 and 9.1 months, respectively). The median OS for the entire cohort was 44.0 months. Patients with stage I-IIIA disease had a median OS that had not been reached, while those with stage IIIb-IVb disease had a median OS of 31.8 months. Patients with stage IIIb-IVb disease receiving an ALK-TKI as 1st line treatment had a median OS of 42.5 months with immature follow-up. Brain metastases at diagnosis or choice of 1st line treatment did not statistically significantly impact OS. CONCLUSION: This study gives insights into the treatment and outcome of ALK+ NSCLC patients in Denmark and provides a real-world confirmation of the superior disease control provided by 2nd generation ALK-TKIs as compared to the 1st generation ALK-TKI crizotinib.

Efficacy of alectinib in lung adenocarcinoma patients with different anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements and co-existing alterations-a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Alectinib significantly improves survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearrangement. In this study, we analyzed the effects of different ALK rearrangements and co-mutations on the efficacy of alectinib. Methods: Using the electronic medical record system, we reviewed in terms of clinical and pathological features patients with advanced (IIIB/IV stage) ALK-rearranged NSCLC at Shanghai Chest Hospital between January 2018 and December 2021 who were treated with alectinib in first or second line and were assessed for objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: A total of 66 patients were enrolled in the study, and 17 types of ALK rearrangements were detected, of which five types of ALK rearrangements responded well to alectinib. We classified ALK-rearrangements into four main types, namely echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK (E6:A20), EML4-ALK (E13:A20), EML4-ALK (E20:A20), and others. There was no significant difference in ORR and DCR of these types (ORR: 31.3% vs. 13.0% vs. 18.2% vs. 17.6%, P=0.575; DCR: 93.8% vs. 95.6% vs. 100.0% vs. 88.2%, P=0.627). The 3-year PFS rates were 25.0% (4/16) vs. 13.0% (3/23) vs. 27.3% (3/11) vs. 18.8% (3/16) for EML4-ALK (E6:A20), EML4-ALK (E13:A20), EML4-ALK (E20:A20), and others, respectively (P=0.725). The results of co-mutation analysis showed that the median PFS (mPFS) for patients with tumors harboring TP53 mutations was 30.4 months, significantly shorter than that of patients with tumors without co-mutations and whose mPFS was not mature (P=0.026). TSC1 co-mutation was also identified as a detrimental factor in outcome, with a DCR of 60% vs. 100% (P=0.031), mPFS of 30.4 months vs. not applicable (P=0.160) in patients with vs. those without this co-mutation, respectively. The efficacy of alectinib in patients with brain metastases is comparable to that in patients without distant organ metastases. There were two cases with specific fusion types that also responded to alectinib; namely, double ALK-rearrangements: EML4-ALK (E13:A20) and MSH2-ALK (M7:A20), and with a rare fusion partner, SPECC1L-ALK (S8:A20). Their PFS were 8.7 and 38.0 months, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, the efficacy of alectinib in different types of ALK-rearrangements varied slightly. TP53 and TSC1 co-mutations were identified as detrimental factors affecting efficacy. This study provides references for the response to alectinib in patients with different types of ALK rearrangements and co-mutation.

Uncommon Presentation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Mimicking Metastatic Lung Cancer.

Diagnosis of anomalous intrathoracic lesions may be challenging and require a multidisciplinary approach. We present a case of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) clinically and radiologically mimicking metastatic lung cancer with a bilateral pulmonary mass, mediastinal and cervical lymph node involvement, and pleural effusion. Surgical biopsy of the thoracic lesion revealed necrotic granulomatous inflammation, and the final diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by kidney biopsy and biochemical parameters. This case illustrates how comprehensive diagnosis secures timely and relevant treatment. Systemic vasculitis may be one of the key differential diagnoses in patients with multiorgan involvement, especially with pattern-mimicking lung cancer.