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Targeting NTRK fusion in non-small cell lung cancer: rationale and clinical evidence

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Abstract

In the era of personalized medicine, the identification of targetable genetic alterations represented a major step forward in anticancer therapy. NTRK rearrangements represent the molecular driver of a subset of solid tumors, including 3% of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Preliminary data indicate that molecularly selected NSCLC patients harboring NTRK fusions derive an unprecedented clinical benefit from Trk-directed targeted therapies. The aim of this review is to describe the molecular biology of NTRK signaling pathway and to summarize the preclinical data on novel Trk inhibitors, touching upon the clinical development of these inhibitors for the treatment of advanced NSCLC, which have already shown encouraging anticancer activity and acceptable safety profile in early phase I clinical trials.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera di Perugia, Via Dottori, 1, 06156, Perugia, Italy

    Biagio Ricciuti, Marta Brambilla, Giulio Metro, Sara Baglivo, Roberta Matocci & Rita Chiari

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Matteo Pirro

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  1. Biagio Ricciuti
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  2. Marta Brambilla
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Correspondence to Biagio Ricciuti.

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Ricciuti, B., Brambilla, M., Metro, G. et al. Targeting NTRK fusion in non-small cell lung cancer: rationale and clinical evidence. Med Oncol 34, 105 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-0967-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-0967-5

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