Probably the most immediate potentially practice-changing presentation from ASCO was the Japanese J-ALEX study in the subset of about 4-5% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have the molecular driver known as an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement, which we now routinely test for from the tumor tissue of patients with a non-squamous metastatic NSCLC.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, describes the second generation ALK-inhibitors which provide good options for ALK-positive NSCLC patients who have developed acquired resistance to crizotinib.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, explains the preference for crizotinib rather than platinum doublet chemotherapy as first line treatment for patients with ALK or ROS1 rearrangements.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, describes ROS-1 rearrangements and compares them to ALK rearrangements in frequency of occurrence and response to treatment.

Dr. Ross Camidge, University of Colorado, describes ALK rearrangements and the characteristics of patients who most often have them.

Drs. Leora Horn, Ben Solomon, & Jack West review whether there are specific factors that should make one second generation ALK inhibitor more ideal than other competing options for a specific patient with an ALK rearrangement.

Drs. Ben Solomon, Leora Horn, & Jack West evaluate the evidence and consider whether there are clinically significant differences among the second generation ALK inhibitors that would lead to a reason to prefer one over another for a particular patient.

Dr. Jack West asks the question of whether newer, more active ALK inhibitors such as alectinib should be used as first line therapy rather than for acquired resistance, including introducing the ALEX trial that is trying to answer this question.

Dr. David Spigel, Sarah Cannon Cancer Center, discusses his perspective on side effects of targeted therapies as compared with standard chemotherapy for patients with lung cancer.

[powerpress]

Dr. Phil Bonomi, from Rush University, discusses his perspective on side effects of targeted therapies as compared with standard chemotherapy for patients with lung cancer.

[powerpress]