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Sub-Category:

Stomach Tumors

Number of Conditions: 1

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs)

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Stomach Disorders

Sub-category: Stomach Tumors

Symptoms:
abdominal pain; gastrointestinal bleeding; early satiety; nausea; vomiting; unexplained weight loss

Root Cause:
Tumors arising from the interstitial cells of Cajal in the gastrointestinal tract, often due to mutations in the KIT or PDGFRA genes.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Endoscopy, biopsy with immunohistochemistry (testing for KIT/CD117 positivity), CT scan, MRI, and PET scan for staging.

Treatment:
Surgical resection for localized tumors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) like imatinib for advanced or metastatic cases.

Medications:
Imatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) is the first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic GISTs. Other options include sunitinib and regorafenib for imatinib-resistant cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively rare, accounting for less than 1% of gastrointestinal cancers, with a higher incidence in adults over 50.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of GISTs, genetic mutations, age over 50, and association with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent prognosis for localized GISTs treated surgically; variable outcomes for advanced cases depending on response to TKI therapy.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Tumor rupture, peritoneal spread, liver metastases, and gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation.