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Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Outcomes

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University strives to provide better-than-average gastrointestinal cancer outcomes and gastrointestinal stromal tumor survival rates.

Improving Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Outcomes

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GISTs, are not common. In the United States, only a few thousand patients are diagnosed with GIST each year.

Because we are considered a high-volume cancer center for patients with GIST, we have excellent gastrointestinal cancer outcomes and GIST tumor survival rates. Doctors at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University use the latest surgical techniques to remove a GIST with as few side effects as possible. In fact, our experts utilize a minimally invasive procedure that uses both laparoscopy and endoscopy simultaneously, for tumors located in difficult areas of the stomach. In many situations, this procedure leads to complete and safe removal of the tumor with fewer potential complications and fewer chances of long-term problems.

Survival Rates

If a patient receives treatment for their GIST, GIST tumor survival rates are usually very good. Outcomes depend on several factors, including:

  • Stage of the cancer (how advanced it is)
  • How well the cancer responds to treatment
  • Age and the patient’s overall health

According to National Cancer Institute (NCI) statistics, the five-year GIST tumor survival rates are as follows for its different stages:

  • Localized cases (the GIST has not spread and is still where it originally developed, for example, the esophagus, small intestine or stomach): 93%
  • Distant cases (cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the liver): 53%

GIST treatments are improving with each year. Many patients can expect to get back to living their lives soon after initial treatment.

Rates of Recurrence

With any cancer, there is a rate of recurrence to consider. The risk of a GIST recurrence is higher if:

  • The tumor is large
  • It did not start in the stomach
  • The tumor has aggressive pathologic features (i.e., high mitotic rate)

Targeted drug therapy can be used as adjunct to surgery to decrease the risk of tumor recurrence, or it is usually the first approach used in the treatment of recurrent tumors. For tumors that are at high-risk of returning, targeted drug therapy is sometimes recommended for at least three years. This can reduce the risk of recurrence in some patients.