Gleevec (Imatinib)

Property	Information
Drug Name	Gleevec (Imatinib)
FDA Approval	Yes (for chronic myelogenous leukemia and other cancers, not specifically approved for gliomas)
Used for	Investigational use in gliomas, specifically targeting overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)
Clinical Trial Phase	Exploratory/Investigational (Specific phase for gliomas not provided)
Clinical Trial Explanation	Not specified
Common Side Effects	Varies; for leukemia treatment includes fluid retention, nausea, muscle cramps, rashes, and fatigue. Brain tumor studies may have different profiles due to combination treatments and patient population.
OS without	Not specified
OS with	Not applicable; studies focusing on PFS-6 as a primary endpoint
PFS without	Not specified
PFS with	PFS-6 value was 53% in a restricted patient population with overexpression of PDGFR
Usefulness Rating	3
Usefulness Explanation	Not specified
Toxicity Level	3
Toxicity Explanation	Gleevec (Imatinib) is at a moderate toxicity level. This is because while it does have side effects such as fluid retention, nausea, muscle cramps, rashes, and fatigue, these are common to most treatments and they vary from patient to patient. Also, it has not been specifically approved for glioma treatment, indicating that it might have unexpected results, slightly increasing the risk factor. However, it has shown some potential benefits in early research, hence the moderate, not high, toxicity rating.

Notes: Gleevec, known for its role in leukemia treatment, has shown potential in inhibiting glioma growth due to its targeting of PDGF. Its effectiveness in brain tumors has been limited, possibly due to issues crossing the blood-brain barrier and various resistance mechanisms. Its use has been explored in patients with recurrent tumors and PDGFR overexpression, showing some promise in early research.

From Ben Williams Book: Not specified

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