ALK+
a spontaneous mutation
The ALK gene exists in the DNA of every individual
What is ALK Positive Lung Cancer?
Click here for ALK POSITIVE website
SHORT OVERVIEW:
The ALK gene is part of your DNA; everyone is born with it. (Unlike the BRCA gene, which some people carry and others don't).
ALK+ is a random, spontaneous genetic mutation of the ALK gene.
It can occur in anyone, at any age, without warning, regardless of how healthy they are.
It's the mutation of our ALK gene that can trigger cancer.
Because there is no warning signs, it is most commonly discovered at stage III or IV.
It is thought to occur in about 72,000 people, worldwide, every year. Scientists do not know why this mutation occurs, and it is not considered an inherited disease, nor can it be passed on to others.
DID YOU KNOW? Interesting Lung Cancer Facts
Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death in the US, accounting for about 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in women.
Lung cancer kills 1.5X more women than breast cancer, and usually without any smoking history.
There’s been an 84% increase in lung cancer in women in the past 42 years.
LONG BREAKDOWN: Excerpt from the ALK+ website…
ALK positive cancer is a type of cancer with no known cause, and no known cure (once it has spread to other parts of the body).
ALK positive lung cancer is strongly associated with a history of never smoking.
About 50% of ALK-positive lung cancer patients are diagnosed before the age of 50.
It is caused by a mutation of the ALK gene. It is not thought to be a disease that is inherited, or can be passed on to others in any way.
It is thought to occur in about 72,000 people, worldwide, every year.
There is no known correlation of ALK-positive lung cancer with any environmental toxins, including smoking, second-hand smoke, asbestos, and air pollution.
ALK positive lung cancer is caused by a rearrangement of the ALK gene, but we do not know why this rearrangement happens. ALK positive (ALK+) lung cancer is caused by a genetic mutation in the ALK gene (Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase gene). This mutation is often random and occurs during a person's lifetime, and is not inherited from parents.
Discovered in 2007, “ALK-positive cancer” refers to the rearrangement of the EML4 gene and the ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) gene in your DNA, resulting in a fusion oncogene EML4-ALK. An oncogene is a gene that is a mutated and may cause cancer cells. If you have cancer with an “ALK rearrangement”, part of your ALK gene is mutated, resulting in uncontrolled cell replication- cancer.
ALK positive cancer occurs in humans mostly as lung cancer, but it can also originate in many other parts of the body, including brain and breast.
Overall, the chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 16; for a woman, the risk is about 1 in 17. These numbers include both people who smoke and those who don’t smoke. For people who smoke, the risk is much higher, while for those who don't, the risk is lower
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States.
There’s no early screening tests to prevent lung cancer. Most people discover their diagnosis at stage III or IV.
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