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Imatinib mesylate acts in metastatic or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumor by targeting KIT receptors—a review

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Abstract

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. This tumor is resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although surgery has been the only effective treatment for GIST to date, it is not enough to manage metastatic GIST. Imatinib mesylate, a KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is an oral agent that has been found to have a dramatic antitumor effect on metastatic GIST with either wild-type or mutant KIT. Although imatinib mesylate has been used in GIST treatment for several years, its use marks a new era of molecular targeting therapy. While several issues remain, they should be clarified by the current clinical trials and associated laboratory studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, 464-0021, Nagoya, Japan

    Akira Sawaki & Kenji Yamao

Authors
  1. Akira Sawaki
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  2. Kenji Yamao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akira Sawaki.

Additional information

This work was presented at the 19th Bristol-Myers Squibb Nagoya International Cancer Treatment Symposium, “State of the Arts for Digestive Organs”, 14–15 November 2003, Nagoya, Japan.

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Sawaki, A., Yamao, K. Imatinib mesylate acts in metastatic or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumor by targeting KIT receptors—a review. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 54 (Suppl 1), S44–S49 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-004-0886-y

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