title: Neoadjuvant, adjuvant and palliative treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) with imatinib: a centre-based study of 17 patients.
abstract: Malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) have a poor prognosis. Since these tumours are resistant to conventional radiation and chemotherapy, surgery has been the mainstay of treatment. However, surgery is usually inadequate for the treatment of malignant GIST. Imatinib, a KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has recently been found to have a dramatic antitumour effect on GIST. In this centre-based study of 17 consecutive patients with high-risk or overtly malignant GIST, imatinib was used in three different settings - palliatively, adjuvantly, and neoadjuvantly. The treatment was found to be safe and particularly effective in tumours with activating mutations of exon 11 of the KIT gene. Clinical response to imatinib treatment correlated morphologically to tumour necrosis, hyalinisation, and reduced proliferative activity. The value of neoadjuvant imatinib treatment was illustrated in one case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lundberg Laboratory for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, S-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bümming
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Meis-Kindblom
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klingenstierna
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stierner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wängberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahlman
authors.forename: L-G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Kindblom
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001549:Benzamides; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011379:Prognosis; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit