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Updated: May 16, 2026
09:49
Oncogenic Gene Fusion Detection Using Anchored Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Followed by Next Generation Sequencing
Published on: July 5, 2019
Clinical Significance of ALK-1 Gene Abnormalities in Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma
L Korashy1, H El-Zawahry, S Abdou
1Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University.
Clinical Medicine Insights. Oncology
|December 15, 2012
Summary
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK-1) gene abnormalities in diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) were detected using FISH. ALK-1 positive patients showed superior survival outcomes, suggesting its utility in predicting prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Identifying prognostic markers is crucial for guiding therapy and improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK-1) gene abnormalities in DLCL using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
- To correlate ALK-1 status with clinicopathological features and survival in newly diagnosed DLCL patients.
- To assess the potential of ALK-1 as a predictive marker for therapeutic response and survival.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 50 newly diagnosed DLCL patients (March 2004 - October 2009).
- Immunophenotyping, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and FISH were used to detect ALK-1 gene abnormalities.
- ALK-1 positive patients received the standard cyclophosphamide-hydroxy-daunorubicin-oncovin-prednisone (CHOP) protocol.
Main Results:
- All ALK-1 positive patients achieved complete remission (CR).
- ALK-1 negative patients had a 93.5% CR rate and 6.5% partial remission (PR) rate.
- Disease-free survival (DFS) at 24 months was 100% for ALK-1 positive patients (CHOP-21) versus 81.8% for ALK-1 negative patients (CHOP-14).
- Overall survival (OS) at 30 months was 100% for ALK-1 positive patients versus 80.4% for ALK-1 negative patients.
Conclusions:
- ALK-1 gene abnormality is a significant favorable prognostic marker in DLCL.
- FISH detection of ALK-1 abnormalities can guide therapeutic decisions and predict superior survival.
- ALK-1 positive DLCL patients demonstrate excellent response to CHOP chemotherapy.
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