Report on the Relative Efficacy of Oral Cancer Therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries Versus Currently Covered Therapy

Part 2. Imatinib for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs)

Technology Assessment

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The technology assessment program at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides technology assessments for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These technology assessments are used by CMS to inform its national coverage decisions for the Medicare program as well as provide information to Medicare carriers.

AHRQ's technology assessment program uses state-of-the-art methodologies for assessing the clinical utility of medical interventions. Technology assessments are based on a systematic review of the literature, along with appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods of synthesizing data from multiple studies.

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Contents

Introduction
Methods
Results
Efficacy
Discussion
References
Included Articles
Excluded Articles
Appendixes

Prepared for AHRQ under Contract No. 290-02-0025. By Amy P. Abernethy, M.D. and Douglas C. McCrory, M.D., M.H.S., Duke Evidence-based Practice Center, Center for Clinical Health Policy Research.

Current as of October 2005

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Internet Citation:

Report on  the Relative Efficacy of Oral Cancer Therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries Versus Currently Covered Therapy. Part 2, Imatinib for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs). Technology Assessment. October 2005. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/ta/gist/

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