ALK Mutation Status in EGFR-negative Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Patients in Bulgaria

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Genetics

Background:

• Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement mutations occur in 3-13% of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
• Identifying ALK mutations is crucial for targeted therapy in NSCLC.
• EGFR mutations are common in NSCLC, and ALK mutations are often found in EGFR-negative cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of ALK mutations in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients in Bulgaria.
• To establish a baseline for ALK mutation rates in the Bulgarian NSCLC population.
• To inform clinical practice regarding the need for ALK mutation testing in NSCLC.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 132 EGFR-negative NSCLC patients was analyzed for ALK mutations.
• Data were collected from four major oncological hospitals in Bulgaria between January and June 2016.
• ALK mutation analysis was performed on tumor tissue samples.

Main Results:

• Data from 124 patients were available for analysis (93.9% completion rate).
• ALK mutations were identified in 3.8% (5 out of 124) of EGFR-negative NSCLC patients.
• ALK-positive NSCLC cases were predominantly adenocarcinoma and occurred in never or former smokers.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of ALK mutations in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients in Bulgaria is 3.8%.
• This study is the first to report ALK mutation rates in this specific patient population in Bulgaria.
• Accurate assessment of driver mutations like EGFR and ALK is essential for effective targeted therapy in NSCLC.