Intestinal permeability, vitamin A absorption and serum alpha-tocopherol in gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Molecular and Immunologic Techniques in a Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
07:21

Molecular and Immunologic Techniques in a Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Published on: May 2, 2022

Bohuslav Melichar1, Markéta Kašparová, Hana Kalábová

  • 1Department of Oncology, Palacký University Medical School and Teaching Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic. bohuslav.melichar@fnol.cz

Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology
|March 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Imatinib treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) does not affect intestinal permeability or vitamin A absorption. However, it significantly decreases serum alpha-tocopherol levels in patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Imatinib is a primary treatment for advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).
  • Gastrointestinal toxicity is a common side effect of imatinib and other anticancer therapies.
  • Assessing gastrointestinal toxicity noninvasively can be achieved through intestinal permeability measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of imatinib on intestinal permeability in patients with advanced/metastatic GIST.
  • To assess imatinib's impact on vitamin A absorption and serum alpha-tocopherol levels.

Main Methods:

  • Intestinal permeability was measured using lactulose, mannitol, and xylose absorption tests.
  • Vitamin A absorption and serum alpha-tocopherol levels were monitored.
  • Measurements were taken in 16 patients with advanced/metastatic GIST undergoing imatinib treatment.

Main Results:

  • No significant changes were observed in lactulose/mannitol or lactulose/xylose ratios, indicating stable intestinal permeability.
  • Vitamin A absorption parameters remained unchanged during imatinib therapy.
  • A significant decrease in serum alpha-tocopherol was observed in patients treated with imatinib.

Conclusions:

  • Imatinib does not appear to affect intestinal permeability, unlike many other anticancer agents.
  • While vitamin A absorption is unaffected, the observed decrease in alpha-tocopherol warrants further investigation.
  • These findings highlight a specific nutritional side effect of imatinib therapy in GIST patients.

More Related Videos

An Intravital Microscopy-Based Approach to Assess Intestinal Permeability and Epithelial Cell Shedding Performance07:32

An Intravital Microscopy-Based Approach to Assess Intestinal Permeability and Epithelial Cell Shedding Performance

Published on: December 3, 2020

A Combined 3D Tissue Engineered In Vitro/In Silico Lung Tumor Model for Predicting Drug Effectiveness in Specific Mutational Backgrounds13:34

A Combined 3D Tissue Engineered In Vitro/In Silico Lung Tumor Model for Predicting Drug Effectiveness in Specific Mutational Backgrounds

Published on: April 6, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...