Learn about your advanced ROS1+ or ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis and ways to navigate care plan discussions
Finding balance in
ALK+ NSCLC
Genomic changes in ROS1 and ALK (sometimes called fusions or alterations) are found in some people with NSCLC. They occur when parts of one gene fuse with another, creating abnormal signals that cause cells to grow out of control and form cancer. These changes are usually found when the cancer is already advanced—either stage 3 (locally advanced) or stage 4 (metastatic).
May be seen in people with no history of smoking
Not inherited or passed down
Identifying these genomic changes matters—because treatments can differ
These genomic changes are often found when cancer has spread beyond the lungs—to nearby lymph nodes, the brain, or other parts of the body.
Biomarker testing identifies genomic changes, the clues in your tumor that help guide diagnosis and treatment decisions. Biomarker testing uses tumor tissue or blood samples to look for these changes and may help identify treatments that target your type of cancer. Ask your doctor how biomarker testing could help guide your care.
ALK+=anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive; NSCLC=non-small cell lung cancer; ROS1+=ROS proto-oncogene 1–positive.
