The oncogenic anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements occur in ~5–6% of NSCLC patients and are mostly observed in young individuals as well as in light or non-smokers with adenocarcinoma.4,5 Above 19 distinct ALK fusion partners have been identified so far.6 Cases with ALK rearrangements show poor prognosis,6 for insistence, a higher risk of central nervous system (CNS) involvement.7 Therefore, the enthusiasm for ALK as a target for cancer therapy is encouraging. This evidence concerns the gene ALK and cancer.