By : The Life Raft Group Raft Group
Cancer like GIST is a disease that occurs as the result of uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells in the body. This uncontrolled growth damages the DNA, causing mutations in the cells. Cancer can affect almost any part of the body, including blood, mouth, breast, colon etc. There is no sure way of treating cancer. However, if it is detected in the early stages, chemotherapy and medicines can help prevent cancer’s further growth and kill the cancerous cells.
GIST, or Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, is a particularly dangerous form of cancer. GIST cancer is rare, and affects the digestive tract and/or nearby structures within the abdomen. GIST tumors grow from the cells in the body’s connective or supportive tissues, such as bones, cartilage, tendons, nerves, fat, muscles, tissue around joints, and blood vessels.
GIST disease begins on the gastrointestinal tract wall. The tumors are usually attached to the outside of the one of the organs in the abdomen. Occasionally a GIST may grow inward, through the muscle layer of the wall, and then develop partly inside the digestive tract.
GIST tumors may occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract, from the esophagus to the anus. GIST occurs most frequently in the stomach, followed by duodenum, small intestine, esophagus, rectum and colon. GIST may also develop in the supporting membranes of the abdominal organs, the liver, the pancreas, the ovaries, the uterus, and the prostate. After metastasis, it may develop in the lymph nodes, lung and bone tissue, ovaries and breast and muscle tissue, but such occurrences are very rare.
GIST cancer is not caused by the diet or the lifestyle of affected individuals, nor is it due to environmental or behavioral risk factors. The only cause of GIST tumors seems to be random genetic mutations in single individuals. However, there are rare examples of GIST running in families due to an inheritable germ-line mutation.
GIST most commonly affects older people, usually over age of 50. Children are affected only rarely. Familial GIST develops in younger or middle-aged adults. GIST is found in populations around the world. There is no good information about whether its incidence is more common in certain racial or ethnic groups.
Gleevec or Imatinib is a drug which is used in the treatment of GIST, as it helps in killing the cancerous cells. But there are many Gleevec side effects, like bone pain, ache in the jaw bones, facial swelling, muscle cramps, rash, diarrhea, de-pigmentation, eye bleeds, hair loss, fatigue, weight gain, fluid retention and more.
The levels of medicines like Dilantin and Tegretol in the blood can be increased by Gleevec. Drugs that increase the amount of Gleevec in your blood levels include ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, and clarithromycin. Drugs that decrease the level of Gleevec include dexamethasone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampicin, phenobarbital or St. John’s Wort.
There are many GIST support groups or organizations that are undertaking cutting-edge projects studying GIST tissues and promoting the sharing of tissue as well as the data generated from the studies of this tissue.
GIST, like any other type of cancer, is just a word and not a death sentence. Remaining positive and hopeful is the best medicine for any cancer. Choose hope and challenge the cancer, live a productive life and you will see that anything’s possible. That is the gist of it all.
Author Resource:-
The Life Raft Group is author of this article on Gist support.
Find more information about Gist tumor here.