Many patients worry about potential side effects before beginning to take imatinib (Gleevec). Martine van Glabbeke and coauthors published a paper with a math model to predict the probability of developing various side effects based on the patient’s condition prior to taking the drug. Dr. van Glabbeke has written a calculation routine for side effect prediction that can be downloaded at the following link on the EORTC website.

Physicians and patients may find this helpful. However, remember that most side effects diminish over time and/or can be reduced by various strategies including nutrients and prescription medications. Very few patients experience side effects severe enough to discontinue imatinib therapy.