Phase II study of imatinib mesylate in chemotherapy refractory germ cell tumors expressing KIT.
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.
Einhorn
Lawrence H
LH
Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana and Walther Cancer Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA. leinhorn@iupui.edu
Brames
Mary J
MJ
Heinrich
Michael C
MC
Corless
Christopher L
CL
Madani
Ali
A
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
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit