It is tumors (GISTs) may be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancer). They are most common in the stomach and small intestine but may be found anywhere in or near the GI tract.
GIST is a rare type of sarcoma found in the digestive system, most often in the wall of the stomach. Some GISTS behave in a non cancerous (benign) way. Or they can behave in a cancerous (malignant) way. Generally speaking, the larger the GIST, the more likely it is to behave like cancer. And if left untreated, a benign behaving tumour can start to act like a cancerous tumour. These tumours have a rather complicated name. Gastrointestinal means they start in the digestive system (the gastrointestinal tract). Hyperlinked terms are defined in the glossary section of this website. Click the term to see a pop-up definition. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare cancer affecting the digestive tract or nearby structures within the abdomen. GI stromal tumor, or GIST cancer, is a sarcoma. Most GI tract cancers are carcinomas, such as those commonly known as stomach cancer, colon cancer, etc. GIST is not related to these common GI cancers; it is a sarcoma. Of all adult cancers, sarcomas represent about 1%. GIST is one of the more common of about 50 types of sarcoma. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. GISTs arise in the smooth muscle pacemaker interstitial cell of Cajal, or similar cells. Although the generally accepted definition of pediatric GIST is a tumor that is diagnosed at the age of 18 years or younger, pediatric-type GISTs can be seen in adults, which affects risk assessment, the role of lymph node resection, and choice of therapy. A GIST tumor that originates elsewhere and then spreads to the liver is still biologically a GIST tumor and not a liver tumor; therefore, GIST tumors in the liver are treated very differently than cancer which starts in the liver (liver cancer). Early symptoms of GIST may go unnoticed. And, because GIST is so rare, primary care physicians may not readily recognize its symptoms. Without early detection and treatment, the primary tumor can grow very large or spread (metastasize) to other locations in the body, such as the liver or abdominal cavity. Cancer is probably the one word no one wants to hear. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a relatively rare cancer found in the digestive tract, you might be frightened, overwhelmed, and concerned about what happens next. GIST is a more difficult kind of cancer to diagnose than more common cancers like breast and prostate cancer. While a doctor may suspect that a particular cancer is GIST based on how it looks on a CT scan, the only way to be sure is through pathology -- studying the tumor cells in a laboratory. A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a type of tumor that occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the stomach or small intestine. The tumors are thought to grow from specialized cells found in the gastrointestinal tract called interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) or precursors to these cells.  Other rare types of cancer in the GI tract include leiomyosarcomas (cancers of smooth muscle cells), angiosarcomas (cancers of blood vessel cells), and peripheral nerve sheath tumors (cancers of cells that support and protect nerves). GISTs are different from these other GI tract cancers.  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) may be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancer). They are most common in the stomach and small intestine but may be found anywhere in or near the GI tract. Some scientists believe that GISTs begin in cells called interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), in the wall of the GI tract. The metastatic tumor is the same type of tumor as the primary tumor. For example, if a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) spreads to the liver, the tumor cells in the liver are actually GIST cells. The disease is metastatic GIST, not liver cancer. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are relatively rare cancers that originate in the cells of Cajal, which are specialized cells lining the digestive tract responsible for initiating the rhythmic movement that propels food and solid waste through the GI tract. Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) in the treatment of GIST: Gleevec is a type of targeted therapy that works by inhibiting a protein called tyrosine kinase. Tyrosine kinase is overproduced in GIST cells and is responsible for helping the cancer cells survive and grow. The most common treatment for GIST is surgery. This alone may cure small tumours. But it is less likely that a surgeon can completely remove a larger tumour. If GIST has spread to other parts of your body, your surgeon may be able to remove these secondary tumours too. Generally speaking, the larger the GIST, the more likely it is to behave like cancer. And if left untreated, a benign behaving tumour can start to act like a cancerous tumour. These tumours have a rather complicated name. Gastrointestinal means they start in the digestive system (the gastrointestinal tract).
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/cancer-questions/what-is-the-treatment-for-gist-gastrointestinal-stromal-tumour http://www.gistsupport.org/about-gist/what-is-gist.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrointestinal_stromal_tumor http://www.uchospitals.edu/specialties/cancer/gi/gist/ http://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/what-you-should-know http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/gastrointestinal-stromal-tumor http://www.cancer.org/cancer/gastrointestinalstromaltumorgist/detailedguide/gastrointestinal-stromal-tumor-what-is-gist http://www.cancer.gov/types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/patient/gist-treatment-pdq http://www.texasoncology.com/types-of-cancer/sarcoma/gastrointestinal-stromal-tumors/ http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/cancer-questions/what-is-the-treatment-for-gist-gastrointestinal-stromal-tumour
what is gist cancer