Imatinib mesilate: New perspectives in the treatment of solid tumours

Imatinib mesilate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of malignancies, such as chronic myeloid leukaemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumours that are characterised by specific molecular defects towards which this drug is targeted. The authors briefly review selected preclinical and clinical data concerning the use of imatinib in some common solid tumour types, concluding that the biological and clinical impact still needs to be further elucidated. Imatinib represents a promising therapeutic option with far less toxicity than traditional approaches, although integrated, multimodality approaches, including surgery, will remain of value in the era of molecularly targeted therapy.