Imatinib mesylate treatment for advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a pilot study focusing on patients experiencing sole liver metastasis after a prior radical resection.
BACKGROUND
About 80% of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) experience tumor recurrence or metastasis after a prior radical resection, and the most common metastatic site is the liver. Imatinib mesylate has been proven to be effective in advanced GIST. The current pilot study was designed to observe imatinib mesylate treatment for GIST patients who experienced sole liver metastasis after primary tumor resection.


METHODS
From June 2004 to July 2005, 21 patients who met the eligibility criteria were enrolled in this study. They were administered Glivec at an initial dose of 400 mg/day. The primary end points were grade 3-4 hematological or non-hematological toxicity and progression-free survival; the secondary end points were response rate and overall survival.


RESULTS
Edema was the most common toxicity, whereas grade 3 and 4 side effects were rare. The overall response rate was 52.4%. Only 1 patient died in the course of the study; the 2-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 85.7 and 95.2%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Imatinib mesylate treatment proved safe and effective for GIST patients who had liver metastasis alone. A prolonged survival was observed, and long-term follow-up is still continued.
Zhu
Jiang
J
3rd Department of Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Cheng Du, China. zhujiang1@medmail.com.cn
Wang
Yan
Y
Hou
Mei
M
Li
Hui Yan
HY
Zhang
Jie
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate