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. 2012 Jul 24;461(3):245–257. doi: 10.1007/s00428-012-1281-4

Table 4.

Summary of published articles comparing ALK analysis by FISH and IHC

Reference Antibody Source Detection method Samples, n ALK+ ALK− Comments
FISH IHC FISH IHC
Shaw et al. [25] ALK1 Dako n.a. NSCLC, 141 19 (13 %) 19 (13 %) n.a. n.a. Only FISH+ cases were confirmed with IHC
Boland et al. [44] ALK1 Dako n.a. NSCLC, 335 6 (1.8 %) 6 (1.8 %) n.a. n.a. The 6 cases testing positive using IHC were positive with FISH. 8 of the IHC ALK− cases were also tested using FISH. All were negative
Rodig et al. [24] ALK1 Dako EnVision+ Adeno, 358 20 (5.6 %) n.a. n.a. n.a. 8 of the 10 FISH ALK+ cases with sufficient tissue were also IHC ALK+ (sensitivity = 80 %); 1 case ALK– by FISH was ALK+ by IHC
Mino-Kenudson et al. [49] ALK1 Dako EnVision+ Adeno, 153 22 (14.3 %) n.a. n.a. n.a. Sensitivity and specificity of IHC were 67 and 97 %, respectively
D5F3 Cell ST EnVision+ Adeno, 153 22 (14.3 %) n.a. n.a. n.a. Sensitivity and specificity of IHC were 100 and 99 %, respectively
Yi et al. [46] ALK1 Dako Advance Adeno, 101 10 (9.9 %) 11a (10.9 %) 91 (90.1 %) 90a (89.1 %) Of the 10 FISH+ cases, 8 were IHC 3+, 1 was IHC 2+ and 1 was IHC +; of the 91 FISH– cases, 2 were IHC 2+, 20 were IHC 1+, 69 were IHC 0; sensitivity and specificitya of IHC were 90 and 97.8 %, respectively
Paik et al. [47] 5A4 Novocastra i-view NSCLC, 453 19 (4.2 %)a 26 (5.7 %) 434 (95.8 %) 427a (94.3 %) Of the 19 FISH+ cases, 16 were IHC 3+, 3 were IHC 2+; of the 434 FISH− cases, 7 were IHC 2+, 14 were IHC 1+, 413 were IHC 0; sensitivity and specificitya of IHC were 100 and 92.5 %, respectively
Mitsudomi et al. [64] 5A4 Santa Cruz EnVision+ NSCLC, 345 n.a. 12 (3.5 %) n.a. n.a. All these 12 IHC ALK+ cases were also FISH ALK+; all IHC ALK– cases were also FISH ALK–
Martinez et al. [65] D5F3 Cell ST n.a. NSCLC, 71 6 (8.5 %) n.a. n.a. n.a. All FISH ALK– negative cases were also IHC ALK–. 4/6 FISH ALK+ cases were also ALK IHC+; 1 case was IHC ALK–; 1 sample could not be analysed.
Paik et al. [66] 5A4 Novocastra n.a. NSCLC, 735 28 (3.8 %) 35 (4.8 %) 707 (96.2 %) 700 (95.2 %) Of all cases, 15 were IHC 3+, 20 were IHC 2+, 20 IHC 1+, 700 were IHC0; all IHC0/1+ were ALK FISH–, all IHC 3+ cases were ALK FISH+, and 13 of the 20 IHC 2+ were FISH+; sensitivity and specificitya of IHC were 100 and 96.2 %, respectively
Adeno, 395 27 (6.8 %) n.a. 368 (93.2 %) n.a.
McLeer-Florin et al. [48] 5A4 Abcam i-view Adeno, 441 n.a. 29 (6.5 %) n.a. n.a. Of 81 cases with interpretable IHC and FISH results, 21 were FISH ALK+; of these 21 cases, 19 were IHC ALK+ and 2 were IHC doubtfully positive; of the 60 FISH ALK– cases, 1 was IHC ALK+ and 59 were IHC ALK–
Yang et al. [43] ALK1 Dako Advance Adeno, 300 22/216 (10.2 %) 32 (10.7 %)a 194/216 (89.8 %) 268 (89.3 %) All IHC 0 cases were FISH ALK– and all IHC 3+ were FISH ALK+; 96.9 % of IHC 1+ cases were FISH ALK− and 85.7 % of IHC 2+ cases were FISH ALK+

IHC scores of 0 and 1+ are regarded as negative; scores of 2+ or 3+ as positive

Adeno adenocarcinomas, ALK anaplastic large cell kinase, FISH fluorescence in situ hybridization, IHC immunohistochemistry, n.a. not available, NSCLC non-small cell lung cancer, ALK+/– positive/negative results for ALK rearrangement

aUsing FISH as the gold standard