Medicines for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours
Page last updated: 10 October 2025
Drug utilisation sub-committee (DUSC)
April 2025
Abstract
Purpose
To review the utilisation of medicines for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) as requested by DUSC at its October 2024 meeting.
Date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- Imatinib was PBS listed for the treatment of metastatic or unresectable malignant GIST on 1 February 2004. Its listing was extended to include adjuvant GIST on 1 September 2011.
- Sunitinib was PBS listed for the treatment of metastatic GIST on 1 December 2009.
- Ripretinib was PBS listed for the treatment of metastatic GIST on 1 December 2021.
Data Source / methodology
Data extracted from the PBS database maintained by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, processed by Services Australia were used for the analyses.
Key Findings
- The utilisation of the adjuvant and metastatic GIST listings has been stabilising since the second quarter of 2022.
- In 2023, 1,431 patients were supplied 9,940 prescriptions for the treatment of GIST. In 2022, 1,371 patients were supplied 9,406 prescriptions for the treatment of GIST.
- Overall, a greater number of patients were treated with PBS listed medicines for metastatic GIST compared to adjuvant GIST.
- Most metastatic GIST patients were treated with imatinib and have remained on imatinib as first-line therapy.
