Systemic Therapy
Imatinib - Safety and Tolerability
While its efficacy has been outstanding, Glivec has also been well tolerated in patients with GIST. Most undesirable effects are of mild to moderate severity, including GI side effects that may be minimised when the medication is taken with a meal and a large glass of water. The most frequently reported adverse events were mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fatigue, myalgia, muscle cramps, and rash-which were easily manageable; superficial oedemas were also a common finding.1 Fewer than 5% of patients have experienced grade 3/4 adverse effects (such as skin rashes, liver toxicity, fluid retention syndrome, and haemorrhages) that led to discontinuation of treatment.
Glivec represents a significant medical advance in the treatment of neoplastic disease. As the first and most established molecularly targeted, rationally designed drug therapy for GIST, Glivec establishes a new paradigm for future drug development. The clinical trial data have provided proof of its clinical and survival benefits, and with its specific mechanism of action, Glivec offers an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic option for adult patients with KIT-positive unresectable and/or malignant metastatic GIST.
References:
1. Glivec Summary of Product Characteristics [SMPC]. Basel, Switzerland: Novartis Pharma AG; 2006.