Efficacy of lorlatinib after alectinib-induced interstitial lung disease in a patient with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer: a case report

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitors are standard therapeutic agents prescribed for anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer, and treatment with these agents has been shown to contribute to long-term survival in patients. However, there is no consensus regarding the course of treatment after the onset of anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitors related drug-induced interstitial lung disease. Here, we present a case of successful lorlatinib treatment after the onset of drug-induced interstitial lung disease caused by alectinib. CASE PRESENTATION: A 57-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with stage IVB non-small cell lung cancer by bronchoscopy, but gene mutation testing could not be performed because of the small amount of specimen. After diagnosis, first-line therapy with cisplatin/pemetrexed was initiated, but the patient developed renal dysfunction. Bronchoscopy was performed again to guide further treatment, and the non-small cell lung cancer was found to be anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive. Alectinib was started after the onset of progressive disease, but it resulted in drug-induced interstitial lung disease, necessitating alternative treatments. He subsequently received nanoparticle albumin bound paclitaxel, which was halted in view of the renal dysfunction. Thereafter, lorlatinib was administered, which was continued without drug-induced interstitial lung disease relapse. CONCLUSION: Since alectinib can occasionally cause drug-induced interstitial lung disease, as in the present case, lorlatinib may be an option to continue treatment in patients without other treatment alternatives.