Complete and Repeated Response of a Metastatic ALK-rearranged Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor to Crizotinib in a Teenage Girl

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2016 May;38(4):308-11. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000000498.

Abstract

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMT) are rare tumors in children and young adults, considered by the World Health Organization to be intermediate malignancies and rarely metastasizing, with the presence of an anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement in about 50% of the cases. We report the case of a teenager who presented with a metastatic aggressive IMT that was life-threatening despite multiple treatments, and which responded repeatedly to anaplastic lymphoma kinase-targeted crizotinib therapy. Crizotinib induced drastic primary tumor regression, which was sufficient to allow surgical resection and to control distant disease. This case shows that crizotinib is a promising therapy in IMT, even in adolescents and young adults.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Crizotinib
  • Female
  • Gene Rearrangement
  • Humans
  • Inflammation*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis*
  • Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue / surgery
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Pyrazoles / administration & dosage
  • Pyrazoles / therapeutic use
  • Pyridines / administration & dosage
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyridines
  • Crizotinib
  • ALK protein, human
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases