ON THIS PAGE: You will learn more about coping with the physical, emotional, social, and financial effects of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and its treatment. Use the menu to see other pages.

Every cancer treatment can cause side effects or changes to your body and how you feel. For many reasons, people do not experience the same side effects even when they are given the same treatment for the same type of tumor. This can make it hard to predict how you will feel during treatment.

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ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Small Bowel Cancer, also called small intestine cancer. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about the scientific research being done to learn more about gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and how to treat it. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors are working to learn more about how to best treat GISTs and provide the best care to people diagnosed with a GIST. The following areas of research may include new options for patients through clinical trials. Always talk with your doctor about the best diagnostic and treatment options for you.

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about your medical care after treatment is completed and why this follow-up care is important. Use the menu to see other pages.

Care for people diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) does not end when active treatment has finished. Your health care team will continue to check that the cancer has not come back, manage any side effects, and monitor your overall health. This is called follow-up care.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about the different types of treatments doctors use for people with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Use the menu to see other pages.

This section explains the types of treatments, also known as therapies, that are the standard of care for GIST. “Standard of care” means the best treatments known. Information in this section is based on medical standards of care for GIST in the United States. Treatment options can vary from one place to another.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about how doctors describe a tumor’s growth or spread. This is called the stage. Use the menu to see other pages.

What is tumor staging?

Staging is a way of describing where the tumor is located or if it has spread to another part of the body from where it started. If this happens, it is called metastasis. Doctors may also do tests to learn which treatments could work best.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a list of common tests, procedures, and scans that doctors use to find the cause of a medical problem. Use the menu to see other pages.

How a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is diagnosed

There are different tests used for diagnosing a GIST. Your doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:

• The type of tumor suspected

• Your signs and symptoms

• Your age and general health

• The results of earlier medical tests

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the changes and medical problems that can be a sign of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the estimated number of people who will be diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors, and no 2 people with a tumor are the same. Use the menu to see other pages.