Significant discrepancies between FISH, IHC results for ALK testing

Routine testing with both fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry may enhance the detection of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer, new research suggests. Accurate determination of ALK-positive tumors is necessary to identify patients with advanced NSCLC who are most likely to benefit from targeted therapy with an ALK inhibitor. The study also demonstrated that systematic testing of NSCLC by both FISH and IHC is feasible in routine practice.