Frequency of anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements in Moroccan patients with non small cell lung cancer: a multi-institutional national retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement is a predictive factor of response to ALK inhibitors in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prevalence of ALK rearrangements is well known in Whites and Asians. However, data identifying the frequency of this rearrangement in Moroccan and North African population are lacking. The objective of this study is to report the frequency of ALK rearrangement in a group of Moroccan patients with NSCLC. Methods: A retrospective study was performed enrolling 120 Moroccan patients with NSCLC whose biopsy samples were tested for ALK rearrangement in order to identify the frequency of ALK rearrangement and its potential association with selected variables. The ALK testing was established using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) or immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: The frequency of ALK rearrangement was 4.2% (5/120). All positive cases were males with advanced adenocarcinoma. ALK rearrangements prevalence was significantly higher in older patients. Conclusions: The frequency of ALK rearrangements among the Moroccan population tends to correlate with the average frequency reported worldwide, with some specific features. Further prospective studies with larger patients' numbers are needed to verify these findings.

Real-World Data on the Prevalence of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase–Positive Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the Middle East and North Africa

“…Our overall prevalence data are generally in line with those previously observed for the MENA 1,13 region and a recent retrospective analysis in Morocco. 20 Another study reported ALK-positivity of 11.8% on the basis of the results from the full population of 152 patients with nonsquamous NSCLC in Lebanon tested by using IHC and 3.9% overall on the basis of testing of the patients tested IHC-positive by using FISH. 21 Studies on patients with lung adenocarcinoma in Tunisia and the Levant region found ALK-positivity of 1.4% and 1.9% on the basis of the results from 73 patients tested by using IHC 22 and 157 patients tested by using FISH, respectively.…”

“…In a study of Moroccan patients with advanced NSCLC (all histologies), two of 90 patients (2.2%) tested positive by using FISH and three of 30 patients (10%) tested positive by using IHC, with the overall frequency stated as 5 of 120 (4.2%). 20 Differences between studies in terms of population, sample size, and analytical techniques also limit the ability to reliably compare data from different regions.…”

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements in patients with non-small cell lung cancer in Jordan

“…A review of the available literature revealed some variation of ALK rearrangements in NSCLC based on studies in White, Asian, and African populations. 5,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Nevertheless, less is known about the Middle East population. This study examined the frequency of ALK rearrangement in a group of Jordanian patients with NSCLC and compared IHC and FISH for detecting ALK gene rearrangement.…”