The advent of specific ALK-targeting drugshas radically changed the outcome of patients withALKtranslocated non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC). However, emerging resistance to treatmentwithALKinhibitors in these patients remains amajor concern. In previous studies, we analysed twoALK+patient cohorts (TP53wild-type/TP53mutated) in terms of copy number alterations. Allpatients belonging to theTP53wild-type group hadmainly genetically stable genomes, with one excep-tion showing chromosomal instability and amplifica-tions of several gene loci, includingTERT. Here, weaimed to determine the prevalence ofTERTamplifi-cations in theseALK+lung cancer patients by ana-lysing an independent cohort of 109ALKtranslocated cases. We further analysed the copy numbers of numerous cancer-relevant genes andother genetic aberrations. The prevalence ofTERTamplifi-cations was determined by means of FISH analyses.Copy numbers of 87 cancer-relevant genes were deter-mined by NanoString nCounterâtechnolo..... READ ARTICLE
Histopathology DOI:10.1111/his.14256
Authors: Alidousty C, Duerbaum N, Wagener-Ryczek S, Baar T, Martelotto L G, Heydt C, Siemanowski J, Holz B, Binot E,Fassunke J, Merkelbach-Bruse S, Wolf J, Kron A, Buettner R, Schultheis A M