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Betsy Morrow



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    P1 - Poster Viewing (ID 5)

    • Event: NACLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track:
    • Presentations: 1
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 10/11/2019, 16:45 - 18:00, Exhibit Hall
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      P1.13 - Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Gene Rearrangement in Children and Young Adults with Mesothelioma (ID 115)

      16:45 - 18:00  |  Author(s): Betsy Morrow

      • Abstract

      Background:
      Children and young adults diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma may have unique genetic characteristics. In those with no history of asbestos exposure, prior radiation therapy or presence of predisposing germline mutations, factors such as the presence of oncogenic tumor mutations may play a role. In this study, we evaluated for the presence of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations in these patients.


      Method:
      In a prospective study of mesothelioma natural history (MNH) (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01950572) we assessed for the presence of the ALK translocation in patients less than 40 years old irrespective of site of disease, family history of cancer or asbestos exposure. The presence of this translocation was assessed via fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) using a Vysis LSI Dual Color ALK BA probe (Abbott Molecular, Inc.) on tissue obtained at diagnosis of mesothelioma. If positive, both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RNA sequencing (RNASeq) were performed on the tumor specimen.


      Results:
      Between 9/2013 and 12/2018, 373 patients were enrolled on the MNH study of which 32 patients were **40 years old at the time of their mesothelioma diagnosis (Table 1). Presence of an ALK translocatio by FISH was seen in 2 of the 32 (6%) mesothelioma patients, one being a 14 year old female (100% nuclei showing translocation) and a 27 year old male (34% nuclei showing translocation). Both had peritoneal mesothelioma and neither had prior asbestos or radiation exposure or predisposing germline mutations. Neither had detectable ALK expression by IHC. RNA sequencing revealed the presence of an STRN fusion partner in the female patient but failed to identify any fusion protein in the male patient. Table 1


      Conclusion:
      Young patients with peritoneal mesothelioma should be evaluated for the presence of ALK translocations. Presence of this translocation should be assessed by FISH and these patients could potentially benefit from tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting ALK.