Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors are important treatment options for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), associated with ALK gene rearrangement. Patients with ALK gene rearrangement show sensitivity to and benefit clinically from treatment with ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs). To date, crizotinib, ceritinib, alectinib, brigatinib, lorlatinib, and entrectinib have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and/or the European Medicines Agency for use during the treatment of ALK-gene-rearrangement forms of NSCLC. Although the oral route of administration is convenient and results in good compliance among patients, oral administration can be affected by many factors, such as food, intragastric pH, cytochrome P450 enzymes, transporters, and p-glycoprotein. These factors can result in increased risks for serious adverse events or can lead to reduced therapeutic effects of ALK-TKIs. This review characterizes and summarizes the pharmacokinetic parameters and drug--drug interactions associated with ALK-TKIs to provide specific recommendations for oncologists and clinical pharmacists when prescribing ALK-TKIs.