Gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Pronunciation

Definition 1

A type of tumor that usually begins in cells in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. It can be benign or malignant. Also called GIST. (NCI Dictionary)

Definition 2

A mesenchymal neoplasm most commonly seen in the gastrointestinal tract. Cases involving tissues outside the gastrointestinal tract have also been reported (extragastrointestinal gastrointestinal stromal tumor). It is a specific KIT-expressing and KIT-signaling-driven mesenchymal tumor. Until recently, surgery has been the only effective therapy for this tumor. However, many patients still experience recurrence. Conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been of limited value. A KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate (also known as STI-571 or Gleevec), is now effective in the treatment of relapsed and unresectable cases. (NCI Thesaurus)

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