Work

Fatal pulmonary hypertension during long-term alectinib therapy in ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer: adverse drug reaction or disease-related complication?

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ALK gene rearrangements occur in approximately 4% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Treatment with ALK inhibitors is highly effective and generally well tolerated. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has rarely been described in association with ALK inhibitor therapy, and evidence linking alectinib to pulmonary vascular toxicity is extremely limited. To our knowledge, this report presents the first documented case in Poland of rapidly progressive and fatal pulmonary hypertension (PH) occurring during long-term alectinib therapy in a patient with ALK -rearranged NSCLC. The abrupt onset of severe pulmonary hypertension in the absence of significant residual thromboembolic burden on CT pulmonary angiography, raising the possibility of a rare and previously unrecognised treatment-related complication.

Source: Oncology in Clinical Practice

DOI: 10.5603/ocp.113041

Authors: Jan Chmielewski, Elżbieta Czekajska-Chehab, Edyta Opalińska, Izabela Chmielewska, Paweł Krawczyk, Janusz Milanowski

Institution: Medical University of Lublin

Language: English

Topic: Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Pfizer, AstraZeneca