What type of cancer is Gleevec used to treat?

Gleevec, known generically as imatinib, is primarily used to treat certain types of cancer, most notably chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). It functions as a targeted therapy, inhibiting specific proteins that drive the growth of cancer cells.

Chronic myeloid leukemia is characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome, which results in the production of the BCR-ABL fusion protein. Gleevec effectively targets this protein, leading to significant improvements in patient outcomes. Additionally, the drug is effective against other conditions, including some forms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and other cancers that express the same or similar mutations.

In contrast, other choices such as prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and rheumatoid arthritis do not align with Gleevec's therapeutic indications. Prostate cancer is typically treated with hormone therapies, chemotherapy, or radiation. Multiple myeloma treatment involves different classes of medications, including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs, rather than Gleevec. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, is generally managed with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), rather than oncology-targeted therapies like imatinib.

Thus