Imatinib | Community Health

Imatinib, marketed as Gleevec and Glivec by Novartis, is a groundbreaking oral medication used to treat various types of cancer, including chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) that are Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph+). With its ability to target multiple tyrosine kinases, imatinib has significantly improved treatment outcomes for patients with certain types of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), systemic mastocytosis, and myelodysplastic syndrome. According to the National Cancer Institute, imatinib has been shown to increase the 5-year survival rate for CML patients to over 80%. However, common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, headache, and rash, while severe side effects may include fluid retention, gastrointestinal bleeding, bone marrow suppression, liver problems, and heart failure. As noted by the American Cancer Society, imatinib works by stopping the Bcr-Abl tyrosine-kinase, which can slow growth or result in programmed cell death. With its impact on cancer treatment, imatinib has been recognized as a major breakthrough by the [[world-health-organization|World Health Organization]] and has been included in the [[who-model-list-of-essential-medicines|WHO Model List of Essential Medicines]].