title: [Efficacy observation on imatinib adjuvant therapy with longer duration in patients with gastrointestinal stromal at intermediate or high risk of recurrence].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the recurrence-free survival (RFS) and safety of imatinib adjuvant therapy with longer treatment duration in patients undergoing complete resection of localized primary gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and follow-up data of 101 GIST patients between March 2004 and May 2009 with intermediate or high recurrence risk receiving imatinib adjuvant treatment and more than 3 years follow-up time in Peking University Cancer Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Imatinib adjuvant treatment: 3 patients discontinued less than 1 year imatinib treatment because of adverse events; 24, 21 and 18 patients discontinued imatinib after 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years treatment; 8 patients received 3 years adjuvant treatment and were ongoing; 27 patients received more than 4 years imatinib adjuvant treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up time was 60 months (95%CI:57.9-62.1). Nineteen patients had GIST recurrence, of whom recurrence happened during imatinib adjuvant therapy in 5 patients and after imatinib treatment in 14 patients. The median period from imatinib stopping to recurrence was 12.0 months (95%CI:9.6-14.4). Patients with recurrent GIST achieved tumor control after imatinib resumption. RFS of patients (n=53) with ≥3 years imatinib treatment duration was higher than that of patients (n=48) with <3 years imatinib duration (93.9% vs. 68.0%, P<0.01). In addition, prolonged adjuvant imatinib duration did not significantly increase the adverse events related to treatment (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prolonged adjuvant imatinib duration may further improve RFS rate further in patients with intermediate or high risk of recurrence after complete tumor resection without increased adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research(Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China. lin100@medmail.com.cn
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yun-zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001549:Benzamides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate