FISH: NTRK2 GENE REARRANGEMENT ASSAY

NTRK2 GENE IS LOCATED ON CHROMOSOME 9Q22.17 AND PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS IN CELL SURVIVAL. TRANSLOCATIONS AFFECTING THE NTRK2 GENE HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN SEVERAL CANCER TYPES, INCLUDING GLIOBLASTOMAS, PILOCYTIC ASTROCYTOMAS, HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA AND LUNG ADENOCARCINOMA. NTRK2 POSITIVE PATIENTS CAN BE TREATED WITH AN NTRK INHIBITOR SUCH AS THE FDA APPROVED DRUGS LAROTRECTINIB OR ENTRECTINIB. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH RESPONSE RATES, REGARDLESS OF NTRK GENE, FUSION PARTNER AND TUMOR TYPE.