Results: Patient with pancreatic cancer and a somatic (tumour) NTRK rearrangement
The detection of a pathogenic somatic (tumour) NTRK rearrangement in a patient with pancreatic cancer may have implications for the clinical management of their cancer.
Example clinical scenario
A 57-year-old man has progressed following two lines of treatment for pancreatic cancer. Somatic (tumour) testing via a multi-target massively parallel sequencing (also called next-generation sequencing) panel has revealed an NTRK rearrangement.
Impact of the genomic result
- The NTRK genes NTRK1, NTRK2 and NTRK3 encode neurotrophin receptors TRKA, TRKB and TRKC respectively.
- NTRK fusion genes are formed when rearrangements – such as translocations or inversions – occur between or within chromosomes in such a way that an NTRK gene is brought into contact and fuses with a partner, like ETV6, LMNA or TPM3. This NTRK-partner gene fusion results in a fusion protein product that constitutively activates downstream signalling pathways, such as MAPK, PI3K and PKC.
- NTRK fusion genes are oncogenic drivers of various adult and paediatric tumours.
- NTRK fusion genes are found in about 1% of all solid tumours, but frequency varies significantly between different tumour types.
- NTRK fusions are present in 0.3% of pancreatic adenocarcinomas.
- NTRK inhibitors are targeted therapies associated with high response rates in NTRK-fusion-positive cancers regardless of the tumour histology.
What do you need to do?
- Patients with inoperable or metastatic pancreatic cancer with an NTRK rearrangement who have no satisfactory treatment options are eligible for treatment with the NTRK inhibitor drugs entrectinib and larotrectinib.
- These drugs are currently made available via the Cancer Drugs Fund.
- Overall, data are limited for the efficacy of NTRK inhibitors in patients with pancreatic cancer owing to the low frequency of eligible patients. However, these drugs offer a further choice of therapy in a tumour type in which options are limited.
- For information about how to arrange testing in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, see our dedicated Knowledge Hub resource.
Resources
For clinicians
- European Society for Medical Oncology: Epidemiology of cancers with NTRK gene fusion
- NHS England: National Genomic Test Directory
- NICE: Entrectinib for treating NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours
- NICE: Larotrectinib for treating NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours
For patients
- Macmillan Cancer Support: Entrectinib (Rozlytrek®)
- Macmillan Cancer Support: Histology independent therapies (HITs)
- Macmillan Cancer Support: Larotrectinib (Vitrakvi®)