The efficacy of adjuvant imatinib therapy in improving the prognosis of patients with colorectal gastrointestinal stromal tumours.
BACKGROUND
Although it has now been accepted that imatinib is a valid treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) patients in the adjuvant setting, information on its clinical efficacy in improving the prognosis for patients with colorectal GISTs is limited.


METHODS
The clinical and follow-up records of 42 colorectal GIST patients who underwent surgical resection at our institution between January 2004 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. The effect of postoperative imatinib treatment on recurrence free survival and overall survival time was analysed with the Kaplan-Meier method and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
Sixteen patients were assigned to imatinib treatment (imatinib group) after surgical tumour resection while twenty-six patients did not receive any adjuvant treatment (control group). The one, three and five-year recurrence free survival rates were 100%, 90% and 77% respectively. This was significantly higher than in the control group (92%, 53% and 36%) (logrank test, p=0.012). The one, three and five-year overall survival rates were 100%, 91% and 68% in the imatinib group compared with 96%, 77% and 39% in the control group (logrank test, p=0.021). Analysis with the multivariate Cox regression model yielded similar results on the efficacy of adjuvant imatinib in prolonging both recurrence free survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07-0.80) and overall survival (HR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.91).


CONCLUSIONS
Adjuvant imatinib therapy seems to be effective in decreasing the risk of tumour occurrence and prolonging the overall survival time in colorectal GIST patients.
First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , China.
Y
Y
Li
First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , China.
X
X
Meng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003082:Colectomy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate
Adjuvant treatment; Colorectal gastrointestinal stromal tumour; Imatinib