Efficacy and Safety of Crizotinib in Advanced or Recurrent ALK-positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Background and objective Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was about 5%-7% and ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) was the standard treatment in NSCLC. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of crizotinib in patients with advanced ALK gene-positive or recurrent NSCLC. Methods Three methods were used to screen patients with advanced or recurrent NSCLC harboring ALK gene fusion/translocation. The patients with ALK positive tested by flourescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was given orally crizotinib, 250 mg, bid. The objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and safety were evaluated. Results A total of 226 patients were screened, 39 of whom had ALK fusion or translocation, and 37 were enrolled in the study. 35 patients were evaluated for objective response, ORR was 70.3%, and disease control rate (DCR) was 94.6%, and median PFS was 11.8 mon. The main adverse reactions were elevated transaminase (Grade 1, 91.7%), elevated transaminases (Grade 2, 23.4%), nausea (Grade 1, 75.6%), anemia (Grade 1-2, 62.3%), visual impairment (Grade 1, 21.8%), weight loss (Grade 1, 31.4%), pneumonia (Grade 2, 3.5%). Conclusion Crizotinib can be used for the treatment of advanced NSCLC with ALK fusion/translocation. It is highly effective and well tolerated.


DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2019.08.02