BENEFITS OF ALECTINIB AS FIRST-LINE TREATMENT OF ALK-MUTATED LUNG SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: A CASE REPORT

Shenling he, Aiping Zeng^*

Department of respiratory oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital; No. 71, Hedi Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021, China

Background: Compared with lung adenocarcinoma patients, anaplastic lymphoma kinase(ALK) mutation is relatively rare in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC). Numerous studies have confirmed that compared with chemotherapy, ALK inhibitors have better efficacy and lower toxicity in the treatment of patients with ALK-mutated advanced lung adenocarcinoma. However, no studies have confirmed the efficacy of ALK inhibitors in patients with ALK-mutated lung SqCC.

Case presentation: We discuss a 76-year-old Chinese man without a history of smoking who came to our hospital for evaluation of severe neck, shoulder blade and right upper limb pain and right lung mass observed on a chest Computed Tomography(CT). According to the results of pathology and immunohistochemistry, the patient was diagnosed as stage IV ALK-mutated lung SqCC. Therefore, the patient used alectinib in the first-line treatment, and achieved obvious effects.

Conclusions: Through this case, we suggest that molecular testing for driver mutations should be considered in lung SqCC patients who are younger, who have a light or no smoking history or mixed histology. Alectinib, as first-line treatment of ALK-positive lung SqCC is a reasonable option.