Treatment-refractory ALK-positive inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the oral cavity. (11th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: LaVigne, Anna W; Meredith, David M; D'Adamo, David R; Margalit, Danielle N
• Is Part Of: BMJ case reports. Volume 2018
• Publication Date: 2018-04-11
• Subjects: cancer intervention -- genetics -- head and neck cancer -- radiotherapy -- oral and maxillofacial surgery; Medicine -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2017-221553
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-790X

Abstract

Abstract : We present a challenging case of a previously healthy 23-year-old man who developed an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the hard palate, harbouring a rearrangement of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) locus. Despite surgical intervention, radiotherapy and ALK-inhibition therapy, the tumour recurred locally and metastasised to regional lymph nodes, and the patient passed away roughly 9 months after diagnosis from local progression. The rapid progression of this patient's disease and its resistance to treatment demonstrate the potentially aggressive clinical course of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours. ALK-inhibition therapy was unsuccessful in this ALK-positive tumour, highlighting the need for further investigation of markers predictive of disease progression and treatment response.