Page 39 - NCCN Guidelines for Patients® | Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
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39
NCCN Guidelines for Patients
®
: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Version 1.2013
Part 5: Tests by cancer stage
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ALK gene rearrangement
For some lung cancers, the growth of the cancer cells is caused in part by an
ALK gene rearrangement. A gene rearrangement is the fusion of one gene
with another gene to create a new gene. In some lung cancers, ALK fuses with
EML4 (
e
chinoderm
m
icrotubule associated protein
l
ike
4
). The ALK-EML4
fusion gene makes proteins that help the lung cancer cells grow.
Definitions:
biopsy:
Removal of small
amounts of tissue or fluid to
be tested for disease
genes:
Coded instructions
within cells for creating new
cells and controlling how
cells behave
scalene:
Within the neck
supraclavicular:
Above
the collarbone
