Alectinib treatment is effective in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement‐positive non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; hereafter ALK‐positive NSCLC) who exhibit central nervous system (CNS) relapse and poor performance status (PS). Lorlatinib treatment is effective upon failure of other ALK inhibitor‐based treatments. However, much remains unknown about the efficacy of lorlatinib in patients with ALK‐positive NSCLC, who have triple problems, carcinomatous meningitis, poor PS, and dysphagia, after alectinib treatment. Here, we report the remarkable response of a 73‐year‐old patient with ALK‐positive NSCLC showing carcinomatous meningitis due to CNS metastases, poor PS, and dysphagia to lorlatinib. Lorlatinib administration through a nasogastric tube alleviated complications related to consciousness within three days, and the patient survived for 16 months after CNS relapse. Lorlatinib could be a treatment option for patients with ALK‐positive NSCLC showing carcinomatous meningitis, poor PS, and dysphagia upon failure of other ALK inhibitor‐based treatments. READ ARTICLE
Respiratory Case Reports DOI:10.1002/rcr2.796
Authors: Kota Sasaki, Yusuke Yokota, Toshihito Isojima, Mayumi Fujii, Kengo Hasui, Yu Chen, Kensuke Saito, Takenori Takahata, Seiko Kindaichi, and Atsushi Sato