Introduction
When speaking of rare cancers, the most unnoticed one possibly can be Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST). Even though the occurrence is rather rare, it is essential to learn more about GISTs if one is a cancer specialist, or patient. Now let’s explore Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour, the symptoms that are associated with this disease and the available modern treatments.
What is a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST)?
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour refers to a rare cancer that develops from the gastrointestinal tract base most of the time being the stomach or small intestine. The true descriptor is “stromal,” in reference to the nature of cells that originate this tumour: interstitial cells of Cajal, which have a regulatory function on muscles of the digestive system used for peristalsis. In effect, a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour is a cancerous neoplasm and hence it can be benign or malignant based on its activity and rate of growth.
Who is Affected by GIST?
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours develop most often in persons about 60 to 65 years, but the condition may affect people of any age. These include neurofibromatosis type 1 and Carney triad though there are more than the two that may be linked to the skin pigmentation. Although Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours are more heavily observed in adults, they are not unheard of in children and teens.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour
At first, a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour may not even have symptoms which are why an early stage diagnosis is very difficult. With the increasing size of the tumour some of the symptoms may include abdominal pain, fullness, nausea and even not only in the stool but in the vomit as well. As advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours are usually internal neoplasms, they may result in severe fatigue and anaemia as a result of internal bleeding.
Treatment:
Managing a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour is usually done in accordance to size and risk of the tumour. If Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour is measured to be less than 2 cm, the doctors may not consider surgical operation, instead, constant check-up might be recommended. For such tumours the surgical removal is considered to be the main type of treatment If the size of the tumour is more than 2cm. The objectives of surgery include excision of tumour and a surrounding tumblr zone so that there be minimum chances of regrowth.
Targeted Therapies
Apart from surgery, chemotherapy is one other strategy that is used to treat Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours and targeted cancer drugs form the basis of chemotherapy. These drugs target cancer cells only and stop them from dividing. The most common targeted therapies for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours include:
- Imatinib (Glivec): Sometimes given to help reduce the size of the pneumonia in its treatment or potentially to control the recurrence in severe cases.
- Sunitinib (Sutent): prescribed in cases when the use of imatinib is questionable due to inefficiency or side effects.
- Regorafenib (Stivarga): Employed for highly progressive GISTs that have not responded to imatinib or sunitinib.
The Bottom Line
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours are rare and complex tumours but with improvement of treatment and targeted therapies managing this disease has improved. Knowledge about the type of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours and the existing therapies can be of an essential importance given that the course of diagnosis and treatment presents great difficulties. If one is a victim of a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour or knowing someone who is, consultation of advice from a health care provider can help on what to do when it comes to treatment.
