Weijie Zhao1, Yoon-La Choi2, Ji-Young Song3, Yazhen Zhu4, Qing Xu1, Feng Zhang1, Lili Jiang1, Ju Cheng1, Guangjuan Zheng5, Mao Mao6. 1. Translational Bioscience and Diagnostics, WuXi AppTec, Shanghai, China. 2. Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China. 5. Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: zhengguangjuan@163.com. 6. Translational Bioscience and Diagnostics, WuXi AppTec, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: mao_m@yahoo.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Chromosomal rearrangements of ALK and ROS1 genes in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) define a molecular subgroup of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) that is amenable to targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) crizotinib. Emerging clinical studies have demonstrated that patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC may also benefit from existing RET TKIs, including cabozantinib and vandetanib. However, the reported cases of lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) harboring gene rearrangements have been detected via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or immunohistochemistry (IHC) from materials such as biopsy or resection. Fusion events identified in lung SCC raise the question of whether this histologic subtype should also be evaluated for merit molecular testing. This work was undertaken to study the prevalence of lung SCC harboring ALK, ROS1, and RET translocations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Squamous cell carcinomas were confirmed using both histological examination by pathologists and immunohistochemistry analysis with positive staining of P63 and CK5/6 combined with negative CK7 and TTF-1 staining. 214 samples from surgically resected patient tissues were used to search for ALK, ROS1, and RET rearrangements by a NanoString analysis method. Fusion events were detected in a single-tube, multiplex assay system that relied on a complementary strategy of interrogation of 3' gene overexpression and detection of specific fusion transcript variants. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: ALK, ROS1 or RET gene rearrangements appeared 0 times out of 214 cases of lung SCC. Our data revealed that these fusions may be very rare in lung squamous cancer. The molecular screening strategy should therefore be focused on lung adenocarcinoma as the current National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline recommends.
OBJECTIVES: Chromosomal rearrangements of ALK and ROS1 genes in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) define a molecular subgroup of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) that is amenable to targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) crizotinib. Emerging clinical studies have demonstrated that patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC may also benefit from existing RET TKIs, including cabozantinib and vandetanib. However, the reported cases of lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) harboring gene rearrangements have been detected via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or immunohistochemistry (IHC) from materials such as biopsy or resection. Fusion events identified in lung SCC raise the question of whether this histologic subtype should also be evaluated for merit molecular testing. This work was undertaken to study the prevalence of lung SCC harboring ALK, ROS1, and RET translocations. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Squamous cell carcinomas were confirmed using both histological examination by pathologists and immunohistochemistry analysis with positive staining of P63 and CK5/6 combined with negative CK7 and TTF-1 staining. 214 samples from surgically resected patient tissues were used to search for ALK, ROS1, and RET rearrangements by a NanoString analysis method. Fusion events were detected in a single-tube, multiplex assay system that relied on a complementary strategy of interrogation of 3' gene overexpression and detection of specific fusion transcript variants. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:ALK, ROS1 or RET gene rearrangements appeared 0 times out of 214 cases of lung SCC. Our data revealed that these fusions may be very rare in lung squamous cancer. The molecular screening strategy should therefore be focused on lung adenocarcinoma as the current National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline recommends.
Authors: Anna Michelotti; Marco de Scordilli; Elisa Bertoli; Elisa De Carlo; Alessandro Del Conte; Alessandra Bearz Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2022-06-17 Impact factor: 6.208