The researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston reported that the cancer drug Gleevec had compelled metastatic melanoma into decline for the first time.

The case involves a 79-year-old woman with malignant cells tumors in some parts of her abdomen. The tumor cells conceded an irregularity in a gene called KIT, so the patient was registered in a clinical trail of the drug imatinib (Gleevec), which affects the KIT gene.

After four weeks, the therapy was started; there was striking decline in tumor size and metabolism. Two of the tumor stacks had gone, and many others were quite smaller. After four months, the lumps were still under test and, nine months later, the woman was taking the drug and her condition was quite stable.

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