title: [Advanced dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans treated with imatinib mesylate].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy, side effects and toxicity of imatinib mesylate in the treatment of patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four cases of advanced DFSP diagnosed by pathology and treated in our hospital from Nov. 2004 to Oct. 2009 were included in this study. The patients were treated with imatinib mesylate (dosage: 400 mg, po, qd) and carefully observed for treatment efficacy, side effects and survival time. There were 2 patients taking the drug as second line therapy, and other 22 patients as third or more than third line therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 24 patients were evaluable for the efficacy. There were 8 patients (33.3%) with CR, 10 pts (41.7%) PR, 2 patients (8.3%) SD, and 4 patients (16.7%) PD. The disease control rate (DCR = CR+PR+SD) was 83.3%. The median response time in 18 cases with CR and PR was 5.6 months. The median survival time in 20 cases with disease control was 30 months, however, that in nonresponse (PD) cases was only 10 months. Side reactions related to imatinib mesylate included nausea and vomiting (20.8%), neutropenia (12.5%), and edema (8.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results are consistent with previous reports in the literature. Imatinib is a safe and effective moleucular target drug used for Chinese. Only mild adverse reactions occur in the treated patients. It is worth using imatinib in the treatment of advanced DFSP patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemotherapy, the First Affiliated Hospital of People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100048, China. zjhua168@sohu.com
authors.forename: Jian-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qiu-wen
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Jun-zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ru-liang
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiang-yang
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D018223:Dermatofibrosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D012074:Remission Induction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor