Introduction:

The treatment of lung cancer currently follows a model that is governed by the selection of patients according to the presence of oncogenic abnormalities. The ALK gene is present in 3 to 7% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and confers sensitivity to ALK inhibitors.

Objective:

To describe the clinical and tomographic behavior of patients with ALK positive lung cancer in INER.

Material and methods:

A retrospective observational study of patients with lung cancer from January 2013 to August 2018. A review of clinical and radiological records was made, with registration of sociodemographic, clinical and molecular variables.

Results:

A cohort was analyzed from 2013 to 2018 with a total of 751 patients diagnosed with lung cancer. The CPCNP was the most frequent with 93.74% (n = 704). The adenocarcinoma was found in 86% (n = 606). ALK rearrangement was reported in 3.3% (n = 20). The majority were 65% female (n = 13), the average age was 58 ± 2.4 years, smoking 40% (n = 8). Of the patients who never smoked, 92% (n = 11) reported exposure to biomass. In 25% (n = 5) COPD was documented. The tomographic patterns were: mass in 70% (n = 14), pleural thickening with pleural effusion in 20% (n = 4) and micronodular pattern in 10% (n = 2).

Conclusions:

A clinical phenotype and behavior different to the rest of patients with NSCLC is demonstrated in ALK positive patients.