Alectinib in Early-Stage Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Evidence and Future Challenges.

BACKGROUND

Targeted therapies changed the treatment of advanced oncogene-addicted non-small cell lung cancer and could also improve outcomes in resectable disease.

RESULTS

The ALINA trial evaluated the clinical benefit of adjuvant alectinib compared with standard chemotherapy and met the primary endpoint with a significant increase in disease-free survival at 2 years among anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive patients with stage IB-IIIA disease; two phase II trials (ALNEO and NAUTIKA1) are currently evaluating perioperative treatment with alectinib, and the results of the case reports published to date are encouraging.

CONCLUSION

In resectable anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive lung cancer, adjuvant alectinib represents the new standard of care and could soon be used in perioperative treatment.