Long‐term response to crizotinib in a 17‐year‐old boy with treatment‐naïve ALK‐positive non‐small‐cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death. NSCLC accounts for 80–90% of cases. In young patients, adenocarcinoma is the most frequent histotype and 3–7% expresses the rearrangement of ALK oncogene, sensitive to TKIs. Crizotinib is the first ALK inhibitor approved by the FDA. CASE: We present a case of a 17‐year‐old male with metastatic treatment‐naïve ALK‐positive adenocarcinoma. He was treated with crizotinib and obtained a prolonged response with PFS of 33 months. CONCLUSION: Crizotinib can be extremely effective in adolescents with treatment‐naïve ALK‐positive NSCLC but fail to prevent a central nervous system relapse. Resistance mechanisms need to be investigated.