Bilateral Ovarian Metastases from ALK Rearranged Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Pathology

Background:

• Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement is a significant driver mutation in 3%-5% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
• Patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC exhibit unique clinical characteristics and respond well to targeted ALK inhibitors.
• Ovarian metastasis from lung cancer is an uncommon clinical presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of bilateral ovarian metastases from ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer.
• To highlight the diagnostic challenges and histopathological findings in such rare cases.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 54-year-old female patient.
• Review of clinical history, treatment response, and histopathological examination of ovarian masses.
• Detection of Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement in tumor tissue.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with bilateral ovarian masses, diagnosed as adenocarcinoma.
• Ovarian tumors showed progression despite cytotoxic chemotherapy, while the primary lung mass decreased.
• Histopathological examination confirmed lung adenocarcinoma patterns and revealed ALK rearrangement in the ovarian metastases.

Conclusions:

• Bilateral ovarian metastasis from ALK-rearranged NSCLC is a rare entity.
• Histopathological confirmation of lung origin and ALK rearrangement is crucial for accurate diagnosis and potential targeted therapy.
• This case underscores the importance of considering unusual metastatic patterns in NSCLC patients, especially those with known driver mutations.