Treatment of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumour with imatinib mesylate

• Published in: Tidsskrift for den Norske Lægeforening Vol. 125; no. 7; p. 868
• Main Authors: Haugland, Hans K, Jebsen, Nina L, Mannelqvist, Monica, Skar, Robert, Eide, Johan, Øvrebø, Kjell, Horn, Arild, Jensen, Dag K, Monge, Odd R, Lilleng, Peer K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Norwegian
• Published: Norway 07.04.2005
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Benzamides; Esophageal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Esophageal Neoplasms - pathology; Esophageal Neoplasms - secondary; Female; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors - drug therapy; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors - pathology; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors - secondary; Humans; Imatinib Mesylate; Intestinal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Intestinal Neoplasms - pathology; Intestinal Neoplasms - secondary; Male; Middle Aged; Piperazines - adverse effects; Piperazines - therapeutic use; Prognosis; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - adverse effects; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Pyrimidines - adverse effects; Pyrimidines - therapeutic use; Stomach Neoplasms - drug therapy; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach Neoplasms - secondary; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0807-7096

Gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) is the most frequent mesenchymal tumour type of the digestive tract. Between 30 and 40% of patients have high-risk, malignant GIST with poor prognosis after surgery. Imatinib mesylate is a recently introduced KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor with effect on metastatic GIST. We report our experience with imatinib mesylate in the treatment of GIST. Nine patients diagnosed with GIST have received imatinib mesylate since August 2001. Eight patients had metastatic disease, one patient received adjuvant treatment. The patients were evaluated according to standard protocols for clinical performance, effect of treatment, and adverse effects. Tumour tissue was analysed for mutational status in KIT and PDGFRA. All patients with metastatic disease had palliative benefit; three had partial response and the remaining stable disease. The single patient receiving adjuvant treatment had no sign of recurrence. Side effects were mainly mild diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. Seven patients had mutations in KIT exon 11, one in KIT exon 9, and one in PDGFRA exon 12. The results demonstrate that imatinib mesylate is an effective drug that can stabilise and reduce disease in patients with advanced GIST.