Study summary

Six years of imatinib after surgery cut relapse more than three

IMADGIST trial · 136 people, phase 3, randomized · Published September 2024, Annals of Oncology

60%lower risk of relapse with 6 years vs 3

What was tested

Continuing imatinib for 3 more years (6 in total) against stopping at 3 years after surgery for GIST at high risk of returning.

What they found

Disease-free survival was clearly better with 6 years (hazard ratio 0.40).
Overall survival, side effects and quality of life did not differ.

What it means

Supports longer imatinib for people at high risk of relapse; survival benefit is not yet shown.

Ann Oncol, via PubMed ↗ ← Back to the outlook

Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.