ALK-driven NSCLC: A narrative review - Part I

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a molecularly distinct subgroup of oncogene-addicted NSCLC, accounting for 3-5% of cases. These are mainly genomic rearrangements resulting in a fusion oncoprotein, thus causing persistent constitutive signaling. Recent developments and approvals of various generations of ALK inhibitors have revamped the therapeutic and prognostic landscape of this disease entity. For the preparation of this review, we searched various databases such as PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, using the keywords “ALK,” “ALK crizotinib,” “Oncogene NSCLC,” and “Alectinib,” and we finally included 46 articles. In this review, we describe the molecular biology and pathologic and clinical characteristics of ALK-rearranged NSCLC. The detection methods, therapeutic strategies, and trials will be discussed in the next part of this biomarker review series.