Overview
The gastrointestinal stromal tumour is a very rare type of soft tissue sarcoma that develops in the stromal cells in the digestive tract. It most commonly happens in the stomach and small intestine.Signs and Symptoms
A palpable growth in the abdomen, Abdominal pain or discomfort, Indigestion, Nausea and vomiting, Anemia due to bleeding from the stomach or intestines, Night sweats, Fever, Unintended weight loss or weight gain, Loss of appetite, FatigueCommon Causes
Mutation in an oncogene known as KIT in the interstitial cells of Cajal, Mutation in platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) gene, Mutation in one of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) genes, Having genetic conditions such as neurofibromatosis type 1, primary familial GIST syndrome, and Carney-Stratakis syndromeRisk Factors
Increasing age, Mutation in an oncogene known as KIT in the interstitial cells of Cajal, Mutation in platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) gene, Mutation in one of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) genes, Having genetic conditions such as neurofibromatosis type 1, primary familial GIST syndrome, and Carney-Stratakis syndromeInvestigation Techniques
Medical history, Physical examination, Full blood count, Laboratory tests such as immunohistochemistry, molecular genetic testing and mitotic rate, Endoscopy such as upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy, double-balloon enteroscopy, and endoscopic ultrasound, Biopsy such as endoscopic biopsy, needle biopsy, and surgical biopsy, Contrast-enhanced computerised tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, Positron emission tomography (PET) scanTreatment and Prevention
Watchful waiting, Surgery such as laparoscopic surgery or removal of the entire organ, Ablation such as radiofrequency ablation, ethanol ablation, microwave thermotherapy, and cryotherapy, Trans-arterial embolisation, Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Targeted therapy such as Imatinib, Sunitinib, and Regorafenib, Palliative care
