Adjuvant Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor with Imatinib Mesylate in the Brazilian National Health System: Descriptive Ecological Study of Ten Years of Incorporation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32635/2176-9745.RBC.2026v72n4.5783Keywords:
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/therapy, Imatinib Mesylate, Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/methods, Unified Health SystemAbstract
Introduction: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor is a mesenchymal neoplasm of the digestive tract with a risk of postoperative recurrence, for which adjuvant imatinib has demonstrated clinical benefit. In the Brazilian National Health System, this medication was incorporated in 2014. Objective: To describe a decade of adjuvant imatinib use for gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the Brazilian National Health System, characterizing patient profile, geographic distribution, and utilization patterns. Method: Descriptive ecological study using secondary data from High-Complexity Outpatient Procedure Authorizations, from January 2014 to December 2024, linked to digestive system diagnosis codes and treatment regimens compatible with adjuvant imatinib. Results: A total of 1,602 initial treatments were identified, with progressive annual growth. There was a slight female predominance (52.9%) and concentration in patients aged 50 to 69 years (56.2%). Treatments were concentrated in the Southeast (42.6%) and South (23.8%) regions; among the population aged 50 years or older, the highest densities were observed in the North and Central-West. The stomach was the most frequent primary site (50.9%), and most treatments were elective (99.1%). The mean time between request and authorization for incident cases decreased from 17.5 days in 2014 to 7.8 days in 2024. Findings should be interpreted in light of the inherent limitations of administrative data, which do not allow individual confirmation of adjuvant indication, surgical resection, or clinical outcomes. Conclusion: The use of adjuvant imatinib in the Brazilian National Health System expanded steadily, with shorter authorization times and persistent regional heterogeneity.
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