Gleevec^® is convenient and easy to take. Unlike many cancer medicines, Gleevec comes in a tablet form that you take by mouth, instead of by injection. Gleevec is usually taken once a day, but your doctor may tell you to take it twice a day. You should take Gleevec exactly as your doctor directs.

Gleevec is an effective treatment for most people with Ph+ CML. Gleevec has also been approved for the treatment of Kit-positive GISTs that cannot be removed surgically and/or are malignant and have spread to other parts of the body. Please note that there are no studies showing that symptoms related to the disease improved or that patients lived longer.

As with any medicine, patients respond differently to Gleevec. The goals of your treatment and how you respond to Gleevec will depend on many factors. Taking Gleevec every day as prescribed helps you get the most from your therapy.

If You Have Ph+ CML

The goals of treatment for most people with Ph+ CML are to eliminate cells that contain the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome, or reduce their number as much as possible, and to return blood cells and bone marrow cells to their normal numbers and functions. Your doctor will use tests to track your progress and see how well Gleevec is working to meet your goals. Learn more about these tests and what they mean.

If You Have Kit-positive GIST

The goals of treatment with Gleevec for people with Kit-positive GIST are to stop growth of the tumor and shrink it as much as possible. Your doctor will carry out tests, including scans of the abdomen, to track your progress and see how well Gleevec is working to meet your goals. Abdominal scans may be taken 1 or
2 months after you begin treatment and periodically thereafter. Be sure to have your scans as often as your doctor suggests. Learn more about these tests and tracking your treatment.