title: Distribution and prognostic value of histopathologic data and immunohistochemical markers in gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs): An analysis of the EORTC phase III trial of treatment of metastatic GISTs with imatinib mesylate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The 62005 EORTC phase III trial, comparing two doses of imatinib in patients with advanced GIST, reported a median progression-free survival of 25 months with a trend towards dose dependency for progression-free survival. The current analysis of that study aimed to assess whether histological/immunohistochemical parameters correlate with clinical response to imatinib.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-treatment samples of GISTs from 546 patients enroled in phase III study were analysed for immunohistochemical characteristics, correlations with clinicopathological data, with survival and with tumours' genotype.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no correlation between immunomorphological or clinical characteristics and response to treatment, PFS or OS. No correlations between immunophenotype of the tumour and PFS or OS in the two dose arms were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirm the heterogeneity of GIST in terms of immunophenotypic expression, but indicate that these parameters have no impact on the outcome of the patients under imatinib treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Leuven, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Raf.Sciot@uz.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Raf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sciot
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Debiec-Rychter
authors.forename: Soren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daugaard
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Francoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Glabbeke
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verweij
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Blay
authors.forename: Pancras C W
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hogendoorn
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001549:Benzamides; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha