The EML4‐ALK fusion gene is involved in various histologic types of lung cancers from nonsmokers with wild‐type EGFR and KRAS

The echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) fusion gene resulting from the chromosome inversion inv(2)(p21;p23) recently was identified in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors of this study investigated the frequency, genetic and clinicopathologic profiles of EML4-ALK in Chinese patients with NSCLC.

EML4-ALK was investigated in 266 resected primary NSCLC, including adenocarcinomas (AD), lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, mucoepidermoid carcinomas, and adenosquamous carcinomas, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and was verified by sequencing. EML4-ALK protein expression was studied by immunohistochemistry.