Purpose: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using tumor tissue is the gold standard for detection of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, this method often is not repeatable due to difficulties in the acquisition of tumor tissues. Blood-based liquid biopsy using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is expected to be useful to overcome this limitation. Here, we investigated the feasibility of liquid biopsy using plasma and platelets for detection of ALK rearrangement and prediction of ALK inhibitor treatment outcomes. Conclusion: Liquid biopsy could have applications in the diagnosis of ALK-positive NSCLC, even when using RT-PCR, and platelets can be useful for predicting treatment outcomes of ALK inhibitors. READ ARTICLE
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology DOI:10.1007/s00432-019-02944-w
Authors: Cheol-Kyu Park, Ji-Eun Kim, Min-Seok Kim, Bo-Gun Kho, Ha-Young Park, Tae-Ok Kim, Hong-Joon Shin, Hyun-Joo Cho, Yoo-Duk Choi, In-Jae Oh, Young-Chul Kim