Onkológia 2/2007

GASTROINTESTINAL STROMAL TUMOR: A NEW ENTITY IN ONCOLOGY

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumours of the digestive tract. The advent of targeted molecular therapy in the oncology setting has helped to transform the care of patients with these malignancies. Five years ago surgery has been the only effective treatment. Understanding of molecular pathophysiology of GIST led to the clinical development of imatinib for treating patients with this disease. Although imatinib is effective in most patients with advanced GIST, early or late resistance of tumours to imatinib is an increasing clinical problem. Number of new drugs have been tested for activity against imatinib-resistant disease. Notably, a phase III trial of sunitinib in patients with intolerance or progression on imatinib demonstrated significant improvements in progressionfree and overall survival versus placebo.

Keywords: gastrointestinal stromal tumor, imatinib mesylate, sunitinib.