Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) Workshop.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) has emerged in the past year as a prototypical neoplasm that responds to therapy directed against a single target molecule - the KIT receptor tyrosine kinase protein. Although GIST seldom responds to conventional chemotherapeutic agents, early experience with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, STI-571 (Gleevec, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland) has been extremely encouraging.FDA APPROVES GLEEVEC TO TREAT GASTROINTESTINAL STROMAL CANCER.
FDA today approved the cancer drug Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) for treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). GIST is a relatively uncommon tumor, affecting about 5,000 people in the United States.Dr. George Demetri: Gleevec and Soft Tissue Sarcomas.
This is an amazing new medicine, which sets a new paradigm for rational therapy of cancer. (Rational therapy refers to when an understanding of the basic biology of the tumor leads to a specifically developed approach in treating that tumor.) Gleevec was specifically designed to inhibit a certain over-active enzyme, which causes a type of leukemia called CML. That enzyme in CML is known as ‘ABL.’ ABL is a member of a family of enzymes called ‘tyrosine kinases.’ The key thing is that a type of sarcoma known as gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) has an overactive member of the tyrosine kinase enzyme family as well! That enzyme in GIST is called ‘kit.’ Importantly, Gleevec also blocks kit.Gleevec 's New Successes Show Growing Promise of Targeted Therapies
"In contrast to extending a person's life two or three months, which is real progress with some drugs in some cancers, this drug and this targeted approach with other such drugs may well extend a person's longevity by years, and that is something to be excited about."Novel molecularly targeted therapy effective for gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
"The way we do cancer research will change; Gleevec is like a "guided missile, specifically targeting the defect that makes the GIST cell cancerous, while sparing most normal cells."Welcome to the Home of Gleevec.
GIST Discussion.
The Life Raft Group.
