Imatinib
Brand Names
Gleevac® (There may be other brand names for this medication)
How is it Administered?
Your medicine is a table that you can take by mouth.
What is it Used For?
This drug is used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and some gastrointestinal tumors.
How Does Imatinib Work?
Imatinib is a type of targeted therapy rather than a traditional chemotherapy drug. Traditional chemotherapy drugs identify cancer cells by their rapid rate of reproduction, and then attack those cells. Unfortunately, there are many cells in our bodies that normally reproduce rapidly and these cells are also affected by traditional chemotherapy drugs, resulting in many unpleasant side effects.
Imatinib is a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps stop the spread of cancer cells.
