EML4-ALK

The fusion gene EML4-ALK was identified in non-small cell lung carcinoma, which could be a potential therapeutic target.

In non-small cell lung cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements have a major impact upon the level of response to treatment with specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Pathology

 ALK-EML4 fusion gene in :

• non-small-cell lung cancer (6.7% of NSCLC) (17625570)
• ALK-associated inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMF)

Images

 ALK-EML4-associated inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMF)

• https://twitter.com/histiocytosisX/status/851853405479993344

IHC use

 Anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunohistochemistry may have utility as a screening tool or as a surrogate marker for the molecular techniques to detect the EML4-ALK fusion gene in these tumors. (17625570)

References

 Droplet Digital PCR for Absolute Quantification of EML4-ALK Gene Rearrangement in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Wang Q, Yang X, He Y, Ma Q, Lin L, Fu P, Xiao H. J Mol Diagn. 2015 Jul 1. pii:S1525-1578(15)00114-. doi : 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2015.04.002 PMID: 26142544

 EML4-ALK testing in non-small cell carcinomas of the lung: a review with recommendations.Thunnissen E, Bubendorf L, Dietel M, Elmberger G, Kerr K, Lopez-Rios F, Moch H, Olszewski W, Pauwels P, Penault-Llorca F, Rossi G. Virchows Arch. 2012 Sep;461(3):245-57. PMID: 22825000

 Soda M, Choi YL, Enomoto M, Takada S, Yamashita Y, Ishikawa S, Fujiwara SI, Watanabe H, Kurashina K, Hatanaka H, Bando M, Ohno S, Ishikawa Y, Aburatani H, Niki T, Sohara Y, Sugiyama Y, Mano H. Identification of the transforming EML4-ALK fusion gene in non-small-cell lung cancer. Nature. 2007 Jul 11; PMID: 17625570