Current Research

Research for mastocytosis is ongoing. The following advances may still be under investigation in clinical trials and may not be approved or available at this time. Always discuss all diagnostic and treatment options with your doctor.

Some cases of mastocytosis are associated with mutations of the c-kit tyrosine kinase receptor, which causes mast cell growth. Investigators are testing a drug called imatinib (Gleevec) in people with mastocytosis. Some people have shown good clinical results. Other new tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as dasatinib (Sprycel) and nilotinib (Tasigna) are also being investigated.

To learn about the terms used in this section, read the Cancer.Net Feature: Cancer Terms to Know: During Treatment.