Unseen Adversaries: Into the GISTs---By: Patricia

Unseen Adversaries: Into the GISTs

Can you imagine having a tumor, especially one in your intestines? It’s a scary thought, but unfortunately, it can happen.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are a type of tumor that typically start in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. According to the National Cancer Institute of the United States of America, these tumors can vary in how they grow—some develop slowly over time, while others can grow and spread quickly (Definition of GIST - NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms, n.d.). Most of these tumors are found in the stomach, with some also appearing in the small intestine (Sharma et al., 2021). While around 70% of GISTs are benign, meaning they aren’t harmful, there are cases where these tumors are malignant, as seen in a 70-year-old woman who experienced severe symptoms (Burch & Ahmad, 2022; Shukla et al., 2009).

Causes and Risk Factors

Most cases of GIST (about 75-80%) happen because of changes in the KIT gene. To give you some background, the KIT gene is crucial for many cells, including those in the gut that aid in digestion, as well as in places like the skin and bone marrow. This gene also helps control certain cell activities, and when it changes, it can lead to the formation of tumors (Zhou et al., 2024).

The remaining percentage of GIST cases involves mutations in the PDGFRA gene, which is the second most common gene associated with GIST. The PDGFRA gene makes a special protein that helps cells grow and develop. These mutations are mostly found in the stomach and sometimes in the small intestine (Sun et al., 2022).

GIST patients often have a median age of 65 years at diagnosis, with less than 10% diagnosed before the age of 40 (IJzerman et al., 2020). While there are some families with an inherited predisposition to GISTs, most cases appear to be sporadic, meaning they are not passed down through families (Postow & Robson, 2012).