RUO - ALK / EML4 (2p23/2p21)

The inversion in 2p21 and 2p23 leading to a fusion of the kinase domain of ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) and EML4 (echinoderm microtubule associated protein like 4) has been described in 5-7% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. Multiple tyrosine kinsae inhibitors (TKI's) specific for ALK have since been approved for first line treatment of NSCLC-patients carrying the fusion gene ALK-EML4. These ALK inhibitors include crizotinib (Xalkori), alectinib (Alecensa) and ceritinib (Zykadia). The ALK/EML4 t(2;2); inv(2) Fusion probe is designed as a dual-color assay to detect the fusion of the ALK gene with the EML4 gene by paracentric inversion with breakage and reunion occurring at bands 2p21 and 2p23.

References:
Soda et al, Nature, 2007, 448, 561-566.
Koivunen et al, Clin Cancer Res, 2008, 14, 4275-4283.