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Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours - GIST Symptoms
Patients with GIST may be asymptomatic (31%) or symptomatic.24 Asymptomatic GISTs can be discovered incidentally during endoscopy or laparoscopy as well as during computed tomography (CT)25. Symptomatic GIST patients may present with a range of GIST symptoms associated with the location of the tumour, growth pattern, and size. GIST may present anywhere along the GI tract. GI bleeding is the most common GIST symptom. In fact, about half of GIST patients have abdominal pain and GI bleeding.
GIST Symptoms
| Symptom | Occurrence Rate |
| Abdominal pain | 20%-50% |
| GI bleeding | 50% |
| GI obstruction | 10%-30% |
| Asymptomatic | 20% |
Reprinted with permission from Ghanem N, et al. Eur Radiol. 2003;13:1669-1678.26
Most patients present with:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pain
- Weight loss
- Palpable tumour masses
- Bleeding leading to anaemia26
The average duration of presenting GIST symptoms is 4-6 months26.
Upon diagnosis, GISTs range in size from 2 cm to 30 cm. Tumour size is a key prognostic factor for patients with GIST18. GISTs occur most frequently in the stomach (40%-70%), followed by the small intestine (20%-40%), colon and rectum (5%-15%), omentum (<5%), oesophagus (<5%), and rarely in the mesentery or retroperitoneum25.
Frequent GIST Occurrence Distribution
Reprinted with permission from Joensuu H, et al. Lancet Oncol. 2002;3:655-664.25Primary GISTs have a high risk of metastatic relapse after initial surgery for localised disease6. More than half of all GIST patients present with advanced GIST3. Upon presentation, 15%-50% of GISTs are overtly metastatic25. Unlike leiomyosarcomas of the GI tract or abdomen that typically metastasise to pulmonary tissue, GISTs typically metastasise to the peritoneum and the liver25. Metastases in GIST may result from direct seeding of the primary tumour (peritoneal cavity) or via the portal vein (liver).
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