Alecensa – a new hope for patients with ALK positive non‑small cell lung cancer

04/2018

MUDr. Leona Koubková

Pneumologická klinika 2. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha

SUMMARY

The possibilities of non-small-cell lung cancer treatment are expanding on the basis of a better understanding of the molecular biology of the tumors. Identification of genetic changes has led to the development of a number of small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, designed to disrupt altered signaling pathways in tumors with these genetic changes. One of these genetic changes is the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene transformation, in which ALK inhibitors are indicated. ALK inhibitor of the 2nd generation alectinib has proven its efficacy not only in the first-generation treatment ALK failure, but also in the first line of treatment, also thanks to its effectiveness in the CNS.

KEY WORDS

non-small-cell lung carcinoma, ALK gene transformation, ALK inhibitors, alectinib