title: Phase II study of imatinib mesylate in chemotherapy refractory germ cell tumors expressing KIT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This phase II study was conducted to determine the activity of imatinib (gleevec) in heavily pretreated patients with KIT-positive metastatic germ cell tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2002 through April 2005, 18 patients with refractory germ cell tumors were tested for KIT expression by immunohistochemistry. All patients screened were deemed to be incurable with further standard chemotherapy or surgery. Six patients were eligible and treated with imatinib 600 mg/d orally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no complete or partial remissions. Five of 6 patients had progressive disease and 1 patient had stable disease with a >50% decline in serum alpha-fetoprotein for 3 months before developing further progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small sample size, there was no evidence of significant antitumor activity of imatinib in patients with KIT-positive refractory germ cell tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana and Walther Cancer Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA. leinhorn@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Einhorn
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brames
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Corless
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit