Understanding gastrointestinal stromal tumors from detection to diagnosis
Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare cancer of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that requires specialized diagnostic and treatment approaches.
Getting an accurate GIST diagnosis from Penn Medicine is the initial step in accessing customized treatment options for GIST. Our experienced cancer experts use advanced diagnostic methods and continually explore improved strategies for detecting and treating gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
How is GIST diagnosed at Penn Medicine?
Diagnosing gastrointestinal stromal tumors involves an exam with a gastroenterologist and may include several different types of tests. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, cancer risk factors, and family history. They’ll conduct a physical exam, including checking for an abdominal mass, and discuss the following blood tests and imaging studies with you.
GIST staging
The staging of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is typically determined using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system, a globally recognized cancer staging system. TNM stands for Tumor (T), which measures the tumor’s size and features, Node (N), which looks at the involvement of lymph nodes by cancer cells, and Metastasis (M) to determine if the cancer has spread to distant organs or tissues.
Staging helps guide gastrointestinal stromal tumor treatment decisions. GIST stages are typically categorized as follows:
- Stage I: The tumor is small, hasn’t spread, and is growing slowly if at all.
- Stage II: The tumor may be larger than in stage I, hasn’t spread, and is growing at a low to moderate rate.
- Stage III: The tumor may be larger than in stages I or II, hasn’t spread, and is growing at a faster rate. /li>
- Stage IV: The tumor may be any size, and has spread to nearby lymph nodes or distant organs.
It’s important to note that GISTs have unique features compared with other types of cancers, and their staging may differ slightly. In addition, within each stage, there may be substages based on specific characteristics of the tumor.
Advantages of GIST diagnosis and treatment at Penn Medicine
Our approach to GIST tumor diagnosis and treatment gives you access to the most advanced treatment, surgical techniques, and clinical trials and offers better outcomes. If you’re diagnosed with a GIST, we’ll work together to create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs.
Rated “exceptional” by The National Cancer Institute
Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center is a world leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. Our status as a national leader in cancer care is reflected in our continuous designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1973, one of 7 such centers in the United States. The ACC is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, one of a select few cancer centers in the U.S., that are working to promote equitable access to high-quality, advanced cancer care.