Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST): Treatments
A type of tumor that usually begins in cells in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract.
Part of: Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
Treatments for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
There are different types of treatment for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
Different types of treatments are available for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Four types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
If the GIST has not spread and is in a place where surgery can be safely done, the tumor and some of the tissue around it may be removed. Sometimes surgery is done… Read more about Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST): Treatments