First case report of a novel KIF13A-ALK fusion in a lung adenocarcinoma patient and response to alectinib with a 4-year follow-up

• Published in: Frontiers in genetics 2023-12, Vol.14, p.1289346-1289346
• Main Authors: Mo, Zheng, Cai, Cunliang, Yao, Jingjing, Zhao, Jingquan, Zhang, Mingqiang, Liu, Hao, Mu, Xiangdong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alectinib; anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK fusion); case report; Genetics; kinesin family member 13A (KIF13A); lung adenocarcinoma
• ISSN: 1664-8021; 1664-8021
• DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1289346

The prevalence of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase gene ( ) fusion is about 5% among patients with lung adenocarcinoma, underscoring the importance of pinpointing distinct fusion variants for optimizing treatment approaches. This is the first reported case of a 74-year-old female with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, featuring a novel Kinesin Family Member 13A ( ) fusion, identified via next-generation sequencing (NGS) and confirmed with fluorescence hybridization (FISH). Initially undergoing chemotherapy and then crizotinib, she achieved a partial response (PR) before progressing with multiple bone metastases. However, subsequent treatment with alectinib as a third-line option yielded positive results. A stable disease state persisted for an impressive 31 months of progression-free survival (PFS), accompanied by minimal toxicity symptoms. Up until now, a remarkable near 4-year span of overall survival (OS) has been consistently observed and monitored. This report of a fusion case benefit significantly from alectinib with extensive follow-up. The case diversifies the array of fusion partners and holds clinical relevance in refining therapeutic choices for fusion-associated lung cancer.