Abstract
Patients with sensitive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations often respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), but acquired resistance will eventually develop. The most common mechanisms of acquired resistance include secondary EGFR mutation, MET amplification, and histologic transformation. Besides, gene fusions could also mediate the process of acquired resistance. Various gene fusions including rearranged during transfection (RET), v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) could take place after TKIs resistance, the incidence of which is around 1%. The clinical cases and experiments both in vitro and in vivo have proved the role of gene fusions in EGFR-TKI resistance. The combination of EGFR inhibitors and gene fusion inhibitors might be an effective therapeutic method. The understanding of gene fusions at EGFR-TKI resistance may contribute to the subsequent diagnosis and treatment strategy.