title: A safety evaluation of imatinib mesylate in the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For the last 15 years, imatinib mesylate has been the first line treatment of choice for advanced (metastatic) GIST.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review describes key efficacy data on imatinib for the treatment of GIST, and focuses on safety and tolerability of imatinib, with emphasis on common adverse events management and long term toxicity profile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imatinib has been the standard of care for metastatic GIST and probably will continue to be so for the next few years. Still, despite dramatic responses initially, imatinib drug resistance continues to be the major factor for treatment discontinuation. The toxicity profile of imatinib has been well characterized, and although the majority of patients experience an adverse event during treatment with imatinib, these side effects are usually mild and manageable, with the majority of patients continuing treatment uninterruptedly. Early concerns regarding imatinib related cardiotoxicity in GIST have not been confirmed in large prospective randomized trials, with reports indicating a low incidence of approximately 0.2%-0.4%. Future strategies for treatment of imatinib resistant GIST will probably include novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors, combination therapies or immunotherapy.
authors: a Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology , Dana Farber Cancer Institute , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: Eytan
authors: E
authors: Ben Ami
authors: b Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology and Ludwig Center at Harvard , Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: George D
authors: GD
authors: Demetri
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012449:Safety
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate
keywords: Oncogene; Targeted therapy; Tyrosine kinase; kinase inhibitor; sarcoma