Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors, sometimes abbreviated as GISTs, are tumors that form in the special nerve cells that are located in the walls of the digestive organs and help move food through the body.

GISTs can occur anywhere in the digestive symptom but are most often found in the stomach or small intestine. 

GISTs are typically slow-growing, which means they often don’t present symptoms; however, patients should seek medical attention if they experience abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, cramping in the abdomen after eating, or feeling full quickly after starting a meal as these may be signs of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. 

Doctors in the GW Cancer Center’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Program use cutting-edge immunotherapies and minimally invasive robotic surgery to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and the five-year survival rate for patients is as high as 93%.