Results of the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group (SSG 18) adjuvant imatinib (Gleevec/Glivec) trial in high risk GIST were presented on June 5, during the Plenary Session of the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology conference (ASCO). The Plenary or “all members’ session” highlights “abstracts deemed to have the highest merit and greatest impact on oncology research and practice”.
Why was there such a fuss about Gleevec? After all, other breakthrough drugs have surfaced over the years, but none received the massive media attention this drug did; an American cabinet member had never called [...]
For the past eight years, Gleevec has been the first-line treatment for adult patients with c-Kit (CD117)-positive, unresectable and/or metastatic malignant GISTs. But for some patients, Gleevec is not the answer to their prayers. A small percentage, five to 15 percent, do not benefit from Gleevec from the outset. Others develop a resistance to the drug or cannot tolerate the side effects.
Gleevec for metastatic GIST has been one of the great success stories in cancer treatment. It is probably the biggest advance in solid tumors made over the last decade.
Gleevec was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent Gastrointestinal Cancer(imatinib mesylate) for a new indication. This will keeping cancer from growing in patients following surgical removal of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor [...]
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are caused by mutations in the KIT or PDGFRA (platelet-derive growth factor receptor alpha) receptor tyrosine kinase genes and can successfully be treated with imatinib mesylate
