Pathological complete response to neoadjuvant lorlatinib in a patient with stage IIIA ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer: a case report

Given the promising efficacy of targeted therapies in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring oncogenic drivers, its use in adjuvant and even neoadjuvant therapy is increasing. Lorlatinib is a potent brain-penetrating third-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and c-ros oncogene 1, receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with broad ALK mutation coverage. Currently, there is a limited evidence regarding the efficacy of lorlatinib as neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced NSCLC in the presence of ALK rearrangements. The aim of this case report is to describe a rare case of pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant lorlatinib in a patient with stage IIIA ALK-positive NSCLC, providing evidence for neoadjuvant targeted therapy.

A 35-year-old male was pathologically diagnosed with locally advanced stage IIIA (cT2bN2M0) ALK-positive NSCLC. Clinically, the patient had pulmonary nodules in the left inferior lobe, which were enlarged progressively with follow-up, with the largest measuring approximately 4.6 cm × 2.8 cm by computed tomography (CT) scan and we found that the lymph nodes (stations 4L, 7, and 8) were invaded by metastasis. Following a 3-month neoadjuvant treatment with lorlatinib at 100 mg daily, his CT scan demonstrated a partial response (PR). This patient then underwent a left inferior lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection (MLD) and mediastinal cyst resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Postoperative pathology revealed a pCR. This patient continued to receive lorlatinib and remained disease free at his 10-month follow-up.

Herein we reported the case of a pCR in stage IIIA ALK-positive NSCLC patient treated with neoadjuvant lorlatinib. Our findings underscore the potential of lorlatinib as a neoadjuvant treatment for resectable ALK-positive NSCLC.