Approval summary: imatinib mesylate for one or three years in the adjuvant treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors

On January 31, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval of imatinib mesylate tablets (Gleevec®; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ) for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients following complete gross resection of Kit⁺ (CD117⁺) gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The recommended dose of imatinib is 400 mg/day administered daily for 3 years. Three hundred ninety‐seven patients were enrolled in a randomized adjuvant, multicenter, open label, phase III trial comparing 12 months with 36 months of imatinib treatment. Eligible patients had one of the following: tumor diameter >5 cm and mitotic count >5 per 50 high power fields (HPFs); tumor diameter >10 cm and any mitotic count; tumor of any size with mitotic count >10/50 HPFs; or tumor ruptured into the peritoneal cavity. The primary endpoint was the recurrence‐free survival (RFS) interval. The median follow‐up for patients without an RFS event was 42 months. There were 84 (42%) RFS events in the 12‐month treatment arm and 50 (25%) RFS events in the 36‐month treatment arm. Thirty‐six months of imatinib treatment led to a significantly longer RFS interval than with 12 months of treatment. The median follow‐up for overall survival (OS) evaluation in patients still living was 48 months. Thirty‐six months of imatinib treatment led to a significantly longer OS time than with 12 months of imatinib treatment. The most common adverse reactions, as noted in previous imatinib studies, were diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, edema, decreased hemoglobin, rash, vomiting, and abdominal pain.