A Case Report of a Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of Lung with Dual Positivity for EGFR Mutation and ALK Fusion

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer ranks among the most lethal cancers worldwide. The rate of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and echinoderm microtubuleassociated protein-like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) gene fusion is the most common in younger age, non-smoking Asian adenocarcinoma lung cancer patients. EGFR mutations and ALK gene rearrangements are known to be mutually exclusive and as mutual causes of resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or ALK-TKIs. However, rarely such co-alterations do co-exist in some clinical cases. Here we report a 62 year old male, heavy smoker with cough, hemoptysis and fatigue. Histopathological examination of bronchoscopic guided biopsy showed adenocarcinoma histology. Staging evaluation, he was found to have stage IV disease on positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan. The biopsy blocks tested positive for both EGFR mutation and ALK fusion. Patient was initiated on tablet Gefitinib 250 mg once daily. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no report of dual EGFR mutation and ALK fusion positivity from India.