Use of masitinib for treatment of cancer in patient subpopulations identified using predictor factors

A method for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in a human patient suffering from disease related pain intensity determined to be greater than 20% with a unidimensional pain intensity assessment tool, said method comprising:

• a) using a unidimensional pain intensity assessment tool that measures disease related pain intensity to identify a human patient afflicted with pancreatic cancer who suffers from disease related pain intensity greater than 20% according to said unidimensional pain intensity assessment tool;
• b) determining that the identified human patient afflicted with pancreatic cancer is more likely to have a beneficial response to treatment with masitinib, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with gemcitabine in comparison to a human patient afflicted with pancreatic cancer who suffers from disease related pain intensity less than 20%, wherein the beneficial response is improved chances of survival;
• and
• c) administering masitinib, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with gemcitabine to the human patient afflicted with pancreatic cancer identified as suffering from disease related pain intensity greater than 20% with the unidimensional pain intensity assessment tool used in step a).