What are the treatment options for gastrointestinal stromal tumour?

A gastrointestinal stromal tumour, or GIST, begins in specialised cells in the digestive tract. Tests on tumour tissue can identify features that help the team choose a targeted medicine. These medicines block signals that help certain tumour cells grow.

When a GIST is localised and removable, surgery may take out the tumour while preserving as much healthy digestive tissue as possible. Targeted therapy can shrink or control a tumour before surgery, treat disease that cannot be removed, or be used when the team is concerned about recurrence. The plan may change if scans show a different response.

Ask whether the tumour has been tested for changes that affect targeted treatment. Share all medicines and supplements, because targeted medicines can interact with other treatments and may require monitoring of blood tests or organ function. If surgery is planned, discuss eating, bowel function, wound care, and activity during recovery.

Keep a record of abdominal pain, bleeding, bowel changes, appetite, and medicine effects. Report new or worsening symptoms rather than adjusting treatment on your own.

Seek urgent medical help for severe or worsening abdominal pain, a swollen abdomen, repeated vomiting, black or bloody stools, fainting, or inability to pass stool or gas. During targeted therapy, promptly report fever, unusual bleeding, severe rash, breathlessness, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What do my tumour tests show? Can surgery remove it safely? Would targeted therapy be useful before or after surgery? Which side effects need a same-day call? What scans and blood tests will track the treatment?