Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Robotic Duodenal Sleeve Resection for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor with Rare Exon 8 KIT Mutation Following Neoadjuvant Imatinib
Published on: April 3, 2026
[Imatinib mesylate alone for refractory advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor]
1Department of Digestive Diseases, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing 100036, China. lin100@medmail.com.cn
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of imatinib mesylate in the treatment of patients as preoperative supplement, or used alone for unresectable and(or) metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).
Methods:
A total of 30 cases with advanced GIST were proved pathologically. Among them, CD117 was detected positive in 29 patients; 2 patients received imatinib mesylate before operation and 28 patients with unresectable and(or) metastatic GIST received oral imatinib mesylate daily at dose of 200-600 mg. Three patients were lost in follow-up and the objective effect was evaluated in 25 patients.
Results:
Fifteen of 25 patients (60.0%) achieved partial response (PR); 5 (20.0%) had stable disease (SD) and 5 (20.0%) had progression disease (PD). Median time to progression (mTTP) was more than 13 months during which most experienced benefit. Twenty-two patients had been followed-up more then 1 year. The 1-year survival rate was 86.4%. The overall median survival has not been obtained to date. Twenty-seven patients were valuable for the toxicity assessment according to the WHO standard. The main toxicity included grade I-II edema of periorbital area and lower limb in 85.2% (23/27) patients, leukopenia was present in 40.7% (11/27) and intratumoral bleeding in 7.4% (2/27). Other toxicities included mild fatigue (29.6%), abdominal pain (14.8%), efflorescence (11.1%), nausea and vomiting (18.5%).
Conclusion:
As an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase, imatinib mesylate is generally well tolerated and has been proved to be effective and safe during prolonged treatment of patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
Insights
Imatinib mesylate shows efficacy and safety in treating advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). This tyrosine kinase inhibitor offers prolonged treatment benefits with manageable side effects for unresectable or metastatic GIST patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
Context:
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) represent a significant challenge in oncology.
- Advanced GIST, including unresectable and metastatic cases, requires effective therapeutic strategies.
- Imatinib mesylate has emerged as a targeted therapy for GIST.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of imatinib mesylate.
- To assess imatinib mesylate as a preoperative supplement or standalone treatment for advanced GIST.
- To determine the impact of imatinib mesylate on progression and survival rates in GIST patients.
Summary:
- A study of 30 advanced GIST patients demonstrated significant efficacy of imatinib mesylate.
- Objective responses (partial response or stable disease) were observed in 80% of evaluable patients.
- The 1-year survival rate was 86.4%, with a median time to progression exceeding 13 months.
Impact:
- Imatinib mesylate is effective and generally well-tolerated for prolonged treatment of advanced GIST.
- The study supports the use of imatinib mesylate in managing unresectable and metastatic GIST.
- Findings contribute to the understanding of imatinib mesylate's role in GIST therapy and patient outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
01:15Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules