Specifically, genomic instability promotes lung cancer pathogenesis by the constitutive activation of proto-oncogenes, including the members of the EGFR (ERBB), MYC, and RAS families, along with PIK3CA, NKX2-1, and ALK. Mutations (KRAS, EGFR, and PIK3CA) and amplifications (MYC, EGFR, HER2, PIK3CA, and NKX2-1) commonly activate these proto-oncogenes. The gene discussed is ALK; the disease is lung cancer.