Molecular characterization of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors with frequent ALK and ROS1 gene fusions and rare novel RET rearrangement Journal Article


Authors: Antonescu, C. R.; Suurmeijer, A. J. H.; Zhang, L.; Sung, Y. S.; Jungbluth, A. A.; Travis, W. D.; Al-Ahmadie, H.; Fletcher, C. D. M.; Alaggio, R.
Article Title: Molecular characterization of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors with frequent ALK and ROS1 gene fusions and rare novel RET rearrangement
Abstract: Approximately 50% of conventional inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) harbor ALK gene rearrangement and overexpress ALK. Recently, gene fusions involving other kinases have been implicated in the pathogenesis of IMT, including ROS1 and in 1 patient PDGFRB. However, it remains uncertain whether the emerging genotypes correlate with clinicopathologic characteristics of IMT. In this study, we expand the molecular investigation of IMT in a large cohort of different clinical presentations and analyze for potential genotype-phenotype associations. Criteria for inclusion in the study were typical morphology and tissue availability for molecular studies. The lack of ALK immunoreactivity was not an excluding factor. As overlapping gene fusions involving actionable kinases are emerging in both IMT and lung cancer, we set out to evaluate abnormalities in ALK, ROS1, PDGFRB, NTRK1, and RET by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In addition, next-generation paired-end RNA sequencing and FusionSeq algorithm was applied in 4 cases, which identified EML4-ALK fusions in 2 cases. Of the 62 IMTs (25 children and 37 adults), 35 (56%) showed ALK gene rearrangement. Of note, EML4-ALK inversion was noted in 7 (20%) cases, seen mainly in the lung and soft tissue of young children including 2 lesions from newborns. There were 6 (10%) ROS1-rearranged IMTs, all except 1 presenting in children, mainly in the lung and intra-abdominally and showed a distinctive fascicular growth of spindle cells with long cell processes, often positive for ROS1 immunohistochemistry. Two of the cases showed TFG-ROS1 fusions. Interestingly, 1 adult IMT revealed a RET gene rearrangement, a previously unreported finding. Our results show that 42/62 (68%) IMTs are characterized by kinase fusions, offering a rationale for targeted therapeutic strategies. Interestingly, 90% of fusion-negative IMTs were seen in adults, whereas >90% of pediatric IMT showed gene rearrangements. EML4-ALK inversion and ROS1 fusions emerge as common fusion abnormalities in IMT, closely recapitulating the pattern seen in lung cancer. © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords: alk; inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor; ret; ros1; kinase fusions
Journal Title: American Journal of Surgical Pathology
Volume: 39
Issue: 7
ISSN: 0147-5185
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 2015-07-01
Start Page: 957
End Page: 967
Language: English
DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000000404
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC4465992
PUBMED: 25723109
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 3 August 2015 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Cristina R Antonescu
    895 Antonescu
  2. William D Travis
    743 Travis
  3. Achim Jungbluth
    454 Jungbluth
  4. Lei Zhang
    194 Zhang
  5. Yun Shao Sung
    124 Sung