Gleevec Decreases Cancer Recurrence for Patients with a Type of Gastrointestinal Cancer

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Ronald DeMatteo, MD, served as the principal investigator of a large cooperative group trial that found patients with primary gastrointestinal stromal tumor, a type of tumor found in the stomach or small intestine, who received imatinib (Gleevec ®) after complete removal of their tumor were significantly less likely to have a recurrence of the cancer compared to those who did not receive imatinib.

For more information about this National Cancer Institute funded study, go to: www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/GISTtrial