A gist of gastrointestinal stromal tumors: A review.

ABSTRACT: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have been recognized as a biologically distinctive tumor type, different from smooth muscle and neural tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). They constitute the majority of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors of the GIT and are known to be refractory to conventional chemotherapy or radiation. They are defined and diagnosed by the expression of a proto-oncogene protein detected by immunohistochemistry which serves as a crucial diagnostic and therapeutic target. The identification of these mutations has resulted in a better understanding of their oncogenic mechanisms. The remarkable antitumor effects of the molecular inhibitor imatinib have necessitated accurate diagnosis of GIST and their distinction from other gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumor

SUBMITTER: Rammohan A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3708046 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature