Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor - GIST

Each year, approximately 4,000 to 5,000 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with a GIST. The most common locations in the body are in the stomach (60% of people with GIST) and small intestine (30% of people with GIST). The remaining types of GISTs mostly start in the rectum, colon, and esophagus. GIST most often occurs in people older than 50, and GIST is slightly more common in men than in women.

Statistics should be interpreted with caution. Estimates are based on data from thousands of people with this type of tumor in the United States each year, but the actual risk for a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or she will live with GIST, though most people with GIST, even those with advanced disease, live for years after a diagnosis. Learn more about understanding statistics.

Source: American Cancer Society.