Nonadherence to imatinib treatment in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors: the ADAGIO study

• Published in: Anticancer research 2011-04, Vol.31 (4), p.1407-1409
• Main Authors: Mazzeo, Filomena, Duck, Lionel, Joosens, Eric, Dirix, Luc, Focan, Christian, Forget, Frédéric, De Geest, Sabina, Muermans, Katja, VAN Lierde, Marie-Anne, Macdonald, Karen, Abraham, Ivo, De Grève, Jacques
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Benzamides; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors - drug therapy; Humans; Imatinib Mesylate; Male; Medication Adherence; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Piperazines - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; Pyrimidines - therapeutic use; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1791-7530

To determine imatinib nonadherence rates in patients with gastrointestinal tumors (GIST) over 90 days. A prospective 90-day observational, open-label, multicenter study was carried out of 28 evaluable GIST patients on imatinib. Nonadherence behavior was measured using a 4-item patient interview. Clinicians, patients, and collaterals rated perceived patient adherence on a 0-100 VAS scale. Nonadherence rates in the 4 weeks prior to baseline and follow-up were 29% (95% CI=26-32) and 24% (95% CI=21-27, p>0.05). Mean VAS ratings of perceived adherence ranged from 95.2 ± 10.2 to 97.3 ± 4.8 (p>0.05 for time and source of rating). Correlations between perceptions of and actual adherence behavior were negative. In this first study on imatinib nonadherence in GIST patients, rates were similar to those observed in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, higher than clinically expected and exceeding meta-analytic estimates for cancer. Nonadherence rates were consistent across the 90-day period. Nonadherence behavior should be assessed by clinicians.