Coexistence of EGFR mutation and ALK translocation in NSCLC: Literature review and case report of response to gefitinib

The coexistence of EGFR and ALK-EML4 gene mutations represents a rare event (about 1%) in patients with non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the few cases described in the literature have all been treated by different methods. We present the case of a 52-year-old woman with adenocarcinoma of the lung whose tumor had this double genetic aberration. The patient was immediately treated with gefitinib because the tumor was judged inoperable, but after two months she obtained an important clinical remission and was submitted to radical surgery. She is currently undergoing adjuvant treatment with gefitinib. A review of the literature on this double genetic aberration highlighted that further research is needed to define the best therapeutic approach.