Gleevec is a brand-name prescription medication. It's used to treat certain types of blood cancers in adults and children. Gleevec is also used to treat a type of skin cancer and a type of gastrointestinal cancer.
Gleevec contains the drug imatinib mesylate, which belongs to a class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Gleevec comes as a tablet that you take by mouth. You take the drug either once or twice a day, depending on the dosage your doctor prescribes.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gleevec to treat certain types of blood cancers, including:
Gleevec is also approved to treat:
For details, see the sections for 'Gleevec for CML' and 'Other uses for Gleevec.'
Gleevec has been found effective in treating several different types of blood cancers.
In one clinical study, adults with newly diagnosed CML in the chronic phase took Gleevec for seven years. In this group, 96.6 % of people had a complete response to the drug. This means that no cancerous cells were found in their blood, and they had no symptoms of cancer.
Complete response is one way to describe the success rate. In the group of people who received standard chemotherapy, 56.6% had a complete response.
Gleevec has also been found effective in treating gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) in clinical studies. The overall survival rate was about four years. This means that half the people in the study lived for about four years after they started taking Gleevec. People who took Gleevec after having surgery lived for about five years after starting the drug.
To learn how effective Gleevec is in treating other types of cancers, see the 'Other uses for Gleevec' section.
Gleevec is available as a brand-name medication and as a generic form.
Gleevec contains the active drug ingredient imatinib mesylate.
Gleevec can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Gleevec. These lists don't include all possible side effects.
For more information on the possible side effects of Gleevec, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be bothersome.
The more common side effects of Gleevec can include:
Many of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they're more severe or don't go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects from Gleevec aren't common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you're having a medical emergency.
Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:
You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug, or whether certain side effects pertain to it.Here's some detail on several of the side effects this drug may or may not cause.
As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Gleevec. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:
A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:
Call your doctor right away if you have a severe allergic reaction to Gleevec. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you're having a medical emergency.
Some of the side effects seen in clinical studies can happen with long-term use of Gleevec. These include heart problems, such as congestive heart failure and left-sided heart failure.
In a clinical study, more than 500 people who took Gleevec for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) were followed for up to 11 years. People in this long-term study had many of the same common side effects that were reported in shorter studies. However, these side effects seemed to improve over time.
Serious side effects seen with long-term use included:
Side effects were most common during the first year of treatment with Gleevec. But the longer that people took Gleevec, the less often they had many of these side effects. For example, in the first year of the study, three people had serious blood disorders, but after the fifth year, only one person did.
In a five-year study of people with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), 16% of people stopped taking Gleevec because of side effects. The side effects were similar to those described in the CML study above. Forty percent of people in the study were prescribed lower doses of the drug to ease their side effects.
If you're concerned about possible long-term side effects of Gleevec, talk with your doctor. They can suggest ways to reduce your risks for certain side effects.
In clinical studies of Gleevec, some people had eye-related side effects such as swelling and blurry vision.
Eyelid swelling and swelling around the eyes were some of the most common side effects. Up to 74.2% of people who took Gleevec had periorbital edema (swelling of the eye area).
If you have this side effect, your doctor may prescribe a diuretic (often called a water pill). Diuretics help your body get rid of extra water and salt when you urinate. This eases fluid buildup. Your doctor may also lower your dose of Gleevec, if needed.
In addition, clinical studies reported that up to 11.1% of people who took Gleevec had blurry vision. If you have blurry vision, don't drive or use heavy machinery. And be sure to tell your doctor that you can't see clearly.
Other less common eye-related side effects included:
If you're taking Gleevec and have any eye-related side effects, talk with your doctor. They can suggest ways to ease your symptoms.
Hair loss (alopecia) is a possible side effect of taking Gleevec.
One study tested how Gleevec works in people with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Seven percent of these people had hair loss after they took the drug.
In another study, people took Gleevec to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Between 11.9% and 14.8% of these people had hair loss. This side effect was seen more often in people who took higher doses of Gleevec.
Hair loss due to cancer treatment is usually temporary. If you're concerned about this side effect, talk with your doctor. They can suggest tips to help you reduce hair loss during your treatment.
Gleevec can cause mild and more serious side effects to your skin.
More common skin reactions
Rashes and other mild skin reactions are very common in people who take Gleevec.
In clinical studies, people took Gleevec to treat Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Up to 40.1% of these people had rashes or other skin reactions after taking the drug.
In other clinical studies, people took Gleevec for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). After taking the drug, up to 49.8% of these people had rashes or other skin reactions. These included:
These side effects were more common in people who took higher doses of Gleevec.
If you're concerned about rashes or other mild skin reactions due to Gleevec, talk with your doctor. They can suggest ways to help ease your symptoms.
Serious skin reactions
In clinical studies, serious skin reactions were very rare in people who took Gleevec. Up to 1% of people who took this drug had a serious skin reaction. Examples of serious drug-related skin effects include:
Rashes and blisters can be very painful. And if they're not treated, they can trap bacteria and lead to serious infections. So if you're taking Gleevec and have a rash or blisters with a fever or you don't feel well, tell your doctor right away. Also mention any other skin reactions you have.
In clinical studies, some people who took Gleevec had side effects that could affect their ability to drive. These included:
These side effects may affect your ability to drive or use heavy machinery. There have been reports of motor vehicle accidents by people who took Gleevec. So you should use caution when driving or using machinery while taking Gleevec.
Slowed wound healing (not a side effect)
Slowed wound healing wasn't reported in clinical studies of Gleevec.
Some types of cancer treatment, such as radiation and chemotherapy, may weaken your immune system. This can make wounds heal more slowly.
If you're concerned about slowed wound healing, ask your doctor whether you have a higher risk for this problem based on your medical condition.
Liver cancer (may not be a side effect)
Liver cancer wasn't reported as a side effect in clinical studies of Gleevec. However, liver damage has occurred in both short- and long-term use of Gleevec. Some cases of liver damage have led to liver failure and liver transplant.
Liver damage is often found when doctors monitor enzymes (special proteins) that are made in the liver. Enzyme levels that are higher than normal can be a sign of liver damage.
Some physical symptoms of liver damage include:
During clinical studies, up to 5% of people with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) had severely high liver enzyme levels during Gleevec treatment. Up to 6.8% of people with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) had severely high liver enzyme levels during treatment. And up to 0.1% of people who took Gleevec had liver failure.
While you take Gleevec, your doctor will monitor how your liver is working. If you have signs of liver damage while taking Gleevec, your doctor may reduce your dose. This may prevent damage that could lead to liver failure.
Children in clinical studies who took Gleevec had side effects that were very similar to those in adults. But researchers found these exceptions:
The most commonly reported side effects reported in children were nausea and vomiting. The most common serious side effects were low levels of white blood cells and platelets.
If your child has these side effects, talk with your child's doctor about ways to manage them.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gleevec for certain people with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The Philadelphia chromosome is chromosome number 22 with a defect. People with Ph+ CML have a specific change in their DNA that causes too many white blood cells to form.
CML is divided into three phases:
Gleevec is approved to treat newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the chronic phase in people of all ages.
It's also approved to treat Ph+ CML in the chronic, accelerated, or blast crisis phase for people who have had unsuccessful treatment with interferon-alpha therapy. Interferon-alpha is a drug that was used more often in the past to treat CML. It's been replaced by drugs such as Gleevec that have been shown to be more effective.
In a seven-year clinical study, the survival rate for adults who took Gleevec for newly diagnosed Ph+ CML was 86.4%. This means that 86.4% of the adults survived for seven years after they started taking Gleevec. This was compared to 83.3% of people who took standard chemotherapy drugs.
In a clinical study, people who had previously tried interferon-alpha for CML took Gleevec. Some of these people had a complete response to Gleevec treatment. This means that no cancerous cells were found in their blood, and they had no symptoms of cancer. Here's how many people with CML had a complete response to taking Gleevec:
The clinical study also included children with Ph+ CML in the chronic phase. In the group that took Gleevec, 78% of children had a complete response to the drug.
In addition chronic myeloid leukemia (see above), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gleevec to treat several other conditions.
Gleevec is FDA-approved to treat:
In a clinical study, 19% of adults with relapsed or refractory ALL who took Gleevec had a complete response in their blood to treatment. This means that they had no symptoms of cancer.
A clinical study also looked at children with ALL who took Gleevec and had chemotherapy. For 70% of the children, their cancer didn't get worse for four years.
Gleevec is FDA-approved to treat other types of blood cancers, including:
Gleevec is FDA-approved to treat dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, a rare type of skin cancer, in adults. It's approved for people whose cancer:
A small number of people have been treated with Gleevec for this condition in clinical studies. Of those people who took Gleevec, 39% had a complete response to treatment. This means that a skin biopsy (removing and testing a small sample of skin) showed no signs of cancer.
Gleevec is FDA-approved to treat Kit-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) in adults that can't be operated on or are metastatic (have spread to other parts of the body). Gleevec is also approved to treat GIST in adults who have had surgery to remove tumors. This form of treatment (adjuvant treatment) is used to prevent the cancer from returning after surgery.
In clinical studies, people with GIST that couldn't be surgically removed took 400 or 800 mg of Gleevec. They survived for about four years.
Other people with GIST did have surgery. Between 14 and 70 days later, they started taking Gleevec in the study. They had about a 60% lower risk of either dying or having the cancer return over a period of 12 months. This was compared to people who took a placebo (treatment with no active medication).
In addition to the uses listed above, Gleevec may be used off-label for other uses. Off-label drug use is when a drug that's approved for one use is prescribed for a different one that's not approved.
Gleevec may be used off-label for other cancers, including:
However, there isn't much research on how Gleevec works in humans with these conditions. More studies are needed to determine whether Gleevec helps treat each condition.
Gleevec is FDA-approved as a treatment for children with the following conditions:
Gleevec is approved for use in children of all ages. However, there haven't been studies on how safe or effective Gleevec is in children younger than age 1 year.
As with all medications, the cost of Gleevec can vary. To find current prices for Gleevec in your area, check out GoodRx.com:
The cost you find on GoodRx.com is what you may pay without insurance. The actual price you'll pay depends on your insurance coverage and the pharmacy you use.
If you need financial support to pay for Gleevec , or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.
Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation, the manufacturer of Gleevec, offers a program called Novartis Oncology Universal Co-pay Program. For more information and to find out if you're eligible for support, call 877-577-7756 or visit the program website.
The Gleevec dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:
The dose you will receive depends on your cancer. For some cancers, your doctor may start you on a low dosage. Then they'll adjust it over time to reach the dosage that's right for you.
The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs.
Gleevec comes as a tablet that you take by mouth (you swallow it). It's available in 100-mg tablets and 400-mg tablets.
The 100-mg and 400-mg tablets come in bottles. The 400-mg tablets also come in blister packs that are hard for children to open.
The following doses are typical starting dosages for each condition:
Your doctor may prescribe a different dosage for you. They'll base it on how well your body responds to the drug, how severe your side effects are, and other factors. If you have questions about the right dosage of Gleevec for you, talk with your doctor.
Dosages for children are the following:
Your child's doctor will base the dosage on your child's height and weight. (So 340 mg/m2 means 340 mg per square meter of body surface area.) For example, if your child is 4 feet tall and weighs 49 lbs., their body surface area is about 0.87 m2. So the dosage for Ph+ CML would be 300 mg.
If you miss a dose of Gleevec, take one as soon as you remember. If it's almost time for your next dose, wait and take the next dose as scheduled. Don't take two doses to make up for the missed dose. This can increase your risk for serious side effects.
Gleevec is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Gleevec is safe and effective for you, you'll likely take it long term.
Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. If you're interested in finding an alternative to Gleevec, talk with your doctor to learn more about other medications that may work well for you.
Note: Some of the drugs listed here are used off-label to treat these specific conditions.
Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are:
Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are:
Alternatives for other conditions Gleevec may treat are also available. Talk with your doctor about which medications can be used for your condition.
You may wonder how Gleevec compares to other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Gleevec and Tasigna are alike and different.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved both Gleevec and Tasigna to treat certain types of blood cancers.
Both drugs are FDA-approved to treat newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase in adults and children.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is divided into three phases:
Gleevec is approved to treat Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) CML in adults who are in the chronic, accelerated, or blast crisis phase if interferon-alpha therapy hasn't worked.
Interferon-alpha is a drug that was commonly used to treat CML in the past. It's a man-made drug that acts like certain immune system proteins and prevents the growth of cancer cells.
Tasigna is approved in to treat Ph+ CML in the chronic or accelerated phases in adults if other treatments haven't worked, including treatment with Gleevec. Tasigna isn't approved for the blast crisis phase.
Tasigna is also approved to treat Ph+ CML in children ages 1 year and older if other treatments haven't worked. Gleevec is approved to treat newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in children.
Gleevec is also approved to treat other types of cancers. See the 'Other uses for Gleevec' section to learn more.
Gleevec contains the drug imatinib. Tasigna contains the drug nilotinib.
Gleevec comes as a tablet. Tasigna comes as a capsule. Both drugs are taken by mouth.
Gleevec is taken once or twice a day, depending on your dose. Tasigna is taken twice a day.
Gleevec comes as 100-mg and 400-mg tablets. Tasigna comes as 50-mg, 150-mg, and 200-mg capsules.
Gleevec and Tasigna contain similar drugs. Therefore, both medications can cause very similar side effects. Below are examples of these side effects.
These lists contain examples of more common side effects that can occur with Gleevec, with Tasigna, or with both drugs (when taken individually).
These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Gleevec, with Tasigna, or with both drugs (when taken individually).
Gleevec and Tasigna have different FDA-approved uses. But they both treat Ph+ CML in the chronic and accelerated phases if certain other treatments haven't worked. CML has three phases: chronic (phase 1), accelerated (phase 2), and blast crisis (phase 3).
The use of Gleevec and Tasigna in treating newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in adults has been directly compared in a clinical study. Researchers compared people who took either 400 mg of Gleevec once a day or 300 mg of Tasigna twice a day.
After 12 months of treatment, 65% of people who took Gleevec had no Ph+ cells in their bone marrow (where cancerous CML cells grow). Of people who took Tasigna, 80% had no Ph+ cells in their bone marrow.
After five years of treatment, 60% of people who took Gleevec had a significantly reduced number of cancerous genes in their blood. This was compared to 77% of people who took Tasigna.
Also after five years of treatment, 91.7% of people who took Gleevec were still alive. That's compared to 93.7% of people who took Tasigna.
The results of this study suggest that Tasigna may be more effective than Gleevec at treating newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the chronic phase.
Gleevec and Tasigna are both brand-name drugs. Tasigna doesn't have a generic form, but Gleevec has a generic form called imatinib. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.
According to estimates on GoodRx.com, brand-name Gleevec may cost less than Tasigna. The generic form of Gleevec (imatinib) also costs less than Tasigna. The actual price you'll pay for either drug depends on your dose, insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.
You may wonder how Gleevec compares to other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Gleevec and Sprycel are alike and different.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved both Gleevec and Sprycel to treat certain types of blood cancers.
Both drugs are both FDA-approved to treat newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase in adults and children.
CML is divided into three phases:
Gleevec and Sprycel are used to treat Ph+ CML in adults in the chronic phase.
Gleevec is also used to treat Ph+ CML in adults in the chronic, accelerated, or blast-crisis phases if interferon-alpha therapy didn't work. Interferon-alpha is a drug that was commonly used to treat CML in the past. It's a man-made drug that acts like certain immune system proteins and prevents the growth of cancer cells.
Sprycel is also used to treat Ph+ CML in adults in the chronic, accelerated, or blast-crisis phases if Gleevec didn't work.
Both Gleevec and Sprycel are approved to treat Ph+ CML in the chronic phase in children. They are both also approved to treat Ph+ acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in children along with chemotherapy.
Gleevec is also approved to treat other types of cancers. See the 'Other uses for Gleevec' section to learn more.
Gleevec contains the drug imatinib. Sprycel contains the drug dasatinib.
Gleevec and Sprycel both come as tablets that you take by mouth (you swallow them).
Gleevec tablets come in two strengths: 100 mg and 400 mg. It's taken once or twice a day, depending on your dose.
Sprycel tablets come in the following strengths: 20 mg, 50 mg, 70 mg, 80 mg, 100 mg, and 140 mg. Sprycel is taken once a day.
Gleevec and Sprycel are similar but contain different drugs. Therefore, both medications can cause very similar side effects. Below are examples of these side effects.
These lists contain examples of more common side effects that can occur with Gleevec, with Sprycel, or with both drugs (when taken individually).
These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Gleevec, with Sprycel, or with both drugs (when taken individually).
Gleevec and Sprycel have different FDA-approved uses. But they both treat newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the chronic phase (the first phase of CML) in adults and children. Gleevec and Sprycel also both treat Ph+ ALL in children when used in combination with chemotherapy.
In addition, both Gleevec and Sprycel treat Ph+ CML in the advanced and blast phases in adults, or Ph+ ALL, if other drugs didn't work for them.
The use of Gleevec and Sprycel in treating newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in adults has been directly compared in a clinical study. Researchers compared people who took either 400 mg of Gleevec a day or 100 mg of Sprycel a day.
Within 12 months, 66.2% of people who took Gleevec had no Ph+ cells in their bone marrow (where cancerous CML cells develop). In the group that took Sprycel, 76.8% of the people had no Ph+ cells in their bone marrow.
After five years of treatment, an estimated 89.6% of people who took Gleevec were still alive. That's compared to an estimated 90.9% of people who took Sprycel.
The results of this study suggest that Sprycel may be slightly more effective than Gleevec at treating newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the chronic phase.
Gleevec and Sprycel are both brand-name drugs. Sprycel doesn't have a generic form, but Gleevec has a generic form called imatinib. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.
According to estimates on GoodRx.com, brand-name Gleevec may cost less than Sprycel. The generic form of Gleevec (imatinib) may also cost less than Sprycel. The actual price you'll pay for either drug depends on your dose, your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.
It's not known whether Gleevec and alcohol interact with each other.
However, your liver metabolizes (breaks down) both Gleevec and alcohol. So drinking too much alcohol while you're taking Gleevec may prevent your liver from breaking down the drug. This could raise levels of Gleevec in your body and increase your risk for serious side effects, including liver damage.
Both Gleevec and alcohol can cause side effects such as:
Drinking alcohol during your Gleevec treatment could increase your risk of having these side effects.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much is safe for you during your Gleevec treatment.
Gleevec can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods.
Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increase side effects.
Below is a list of medications that can interact with Gleevec. This list doesn't contain all drugs that may interact with Gleevec.
Before taking Gleevec, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Taking Gleevec with Tylenol (acetaminophen) can increase your risk for serious side effects, such as liver damage.
Enzymes (special proteins) in your liver break down both Gleevec and Tylenol. Together, the two drugs can overwhelm the enzymes and damage cells in your liver.
Ask your doctor whether it's safe for you to take Tylenol during your Gleevec treatment.
Taking Gleevec with certain seizure medications can decrease Gleevec levels in your body. This can make Gleevec less effective (work less well).
Examples of seizure medications that can decrease Gleevec levels include:
If you're taking Gleevec and certain seizure medications, your doctor may prescribe a different seizure drug or adjust the dosage of Gleevec.
Taking Gleevec with certain antibiotics (drugs that treat bacterial infections) can increase Gleevec levels in your body. Antibiotics prevent Gleevec from breaking down in your body. This increases your risk for serious side effects.
An example of an antibiotic that can increase Gleevec levels is clarithromycin (Biaxin XL).
If you're taking Gleevec and need an antibiotic, your doctor may monitor you for side effects. They may also reduce your Gleevec dosage for a time.
Taking Gleevec with certain antifungals (drugs that treat fungal infections) can prevent the breakdown of Gleevec in your body. This can raise Gleevec levels in your blood and increase your risk for serious side effects.
Examples of antifungals that can increase Gleevec levels are:
If you're taking Gleevec and need antifungal treatment, your doctor will monitor you for side effects. They may also reduce your Gleevec dosage for a time.
Taking Gleevec with certain pain medications can increase levels of the pain reliever in your body. This could make you more likely to have serious side effects such as sedation (feeling drowsy and less alert) and respiratory depression (slow breathing).
Examples of opioid pain medications that can increase Gleevec levels include:
Talk with your doctor about whether it's safe to take pain medication during your Gleevec treatment. They may suggest other ways to ease your pain.
Taking Gleevec with certain HIV medications can increase your risk for serious side effects. Certain HIV drugs can prevent Gleevec from breaking down, leading to higher levels of Gleevec in your body.
Examples of HIV medications that can increase Gleevec levels include:
Another HIV medication, efavirenz (Sustiva), can decrease levels of Gleevec in your body. This can cause Gleevec to be less effective.
Many HIV medications come as combination tablets, which means they include more than one drug. So be sure to talk with your doctor about all the HIV medications you take.
If you need to take Gleevec with certain HIV medications, your doctor may change your Gleevec dosage.
Taking Gleevec with certain blood pressure medications can increase or decrease the levels of either drug in your body. This could make you more likely to have side effects or reduce how well the medications work.
Example of these drugs include verapamil (Calan, Tarka).
If you need to take Gleevec with any of these medications, your doctor will monitor you more closely for side effects. They may also adjust the dosage of either medication or recommend a different drug.
Taking Gleevec with warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) can increase your risk for bleeding. Gleevec prevents warfarin from breaking down in your body. This increases levels of warfarin and can lead to bleeding that's hard to control.
If you need an anticoagulant (blood thinner) while taking Gleevec, your doctor will likely prescribe a drug other than warfarin.
Taking Gleevec with St. John's wort can decrease levels of Gleevec in your body. This can make Gleevec less effective (not work as well).
Ask your doctor whether St. John's wort is safe for you to take during your Gleevec treatment. They may recommend an alternative to St. John's Wort or increase your Gleevec dose.
Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice during your Gleevec treatment can increase your risk for serious side effects. Grapefruit contains chemicals that prevent Gleevec from breaking down in your body. This causes increased levels of Gleevec, which can lead to more severe side effects.
Be sure to avoid eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice during your Gleevec treatment.
Be sure to take Gleevec according to your doctor or healthcare provider's instructions.
For Gleevec doses of 600 mg or less, the drug should be taken once a day. You can take it at any time.
If your doctor prescribes 800 mg of Gleevec a day, you'll take it in two doses: 400 mg in the morning and 400 mg in the evening.
Your doctor will give you instructions on when you should take your dose.
Take Gleevec with a meal and a large glass of water. This can help prevent an upset stomach.
You shouldn't crush, split, or chew Gleevec tablets. Crushed and split tablets can be harmful to any skin or other body parts that come in contact with them.
If you have trouble swallowing Gleevec tablets, place the tablet in a large glass of water or apple juice. Stir the water with a spoon to help the tablet dissolve. Then drink the mixture right away.
Gleevec contains the drug imatinib, which belongs to a class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Medications in the TKI drug class are targeted therapies. They affect very specific proteins in cancer cells.
Gleevec is approved to treat several different conditions. Here we'll explore how Gleevec works to treat two of them.
In Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), the cells that create white blood cells have a mistake in their genetic makeup. This genetic mistake is found on a DNA strand called the Philadelphia chromosome.
The Philadelphia chromosome contains an abnormal gene (BCR-ABL1) that causes too many white blood cells to form. These white blood cells don't mature and die like they're supposed to. Immature white blood cells called 'blasts' crowd out other types of blood cells that your blood needs to work correctly.
Gleevec works by attaching to a protein, called tyrosine kinase, in cells made by BCR-ABL1. When Gleevec binds to this protein, the drug prevents the cell from sending signals that tell the cell to grow. Without these growth signals, the cancerous blood cells die. This helps restore the number of blast cells to a healthier number.
Gleevec also helps treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). In many GIST tumor cells, there are a higher number of certain proteins, called Kit and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), than in normal cells. These proteins help cancer cells grow and divide.
Gleevec targets these proteins and prevents them from working. This slows the growth of cancer. It also causes cancer cells to die.
It depends. The timing of when Gleevec starts to work is different for each person.
Clinical studies looked at people with CML who took Gleevec. In one month, the number of cancerous cells in the blood was reduced in about half of the people in the blast crisis stage (advanced stage of CML). In studies of people with GIST who took Gleevec, the tumors stopped growing or shrank in three months.
Your doctor will routinely monitor your blood to see if Gleevec is working for you.
You should avoid Gleevec if you're pregnant. There have been reports of miscarriages and harm to the fetus in women who took Gleevec while pregnant. And in animal studies, pregnant females who were given Gleevec had an increased risk for birth defects.
If you're pregnant, your doctor may advise you to wait until after you've given birth to start taking Gleevec. Or they will recommend a different drug.
If you're taking Gleevec, it's important to use effective birth control so you don't become pregnant. After you take your last dose of Gleevec, keep using birth control for 14 days.
Studies show that Gleevec passes into human breast milk. This can cause serious harm to a breastfeeding infant.
If you're breastfeeding and considering taking Gleevec, your doctor may advise you to stop breastfeeding when you start treatment.
After you take your last dose of Gleevec, wait at least one month before you start breastfeeding.
Taking too much Gleevec can increase your risk for serious side effects.
Symptoms of an overdose can include:
If you think you've taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Gleevec.
Gleevec isn't technically a form of chemotherapy. Gleevec is a targeted therapy that affects specific molecules in cancer cells.
By singling out specific molecules, targeted therapies like Gleevec help slow the growth and spread of cancer cells. Your doctor will typically prescribe a targeted therapy for you based on