Welcome to GIST the Facts

GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor) is a rare cancer affecting the digestive tract or nearby abdominal structures. While this site is not intended as a comprehensive resource on the subject, it is hoped that it can act as a starting point for Canadians and their loved ones seeking more information on GIST.

Unlike most cancers which are carcinomas, GIST cancer is a sarcoma. Sarcomas are cancers that grow from the cells of the bodys connecting or supportive tissue such as tendons, nerves, fat, bone, cartilage, muscle, blood vessels or synovial (joint) tissue. As such, GIST is completely unrelated to any of the more common varieties of stomach or intestinal cancer. Sarcomas represent about 1% of all adult cancers and GIST is one of the more common of about 50 types of sarcoma.

In Canada it is estimated that GIST strikes just 9.1 people out of a million (Yan et al 2008).

As for the causes of GIST, there are no known environmental or behavioral risk factors. (So theres no point beating yourself up about poor lifestyle choices). GIST simply appears to occur as a result of random genetic mutations.

To continue your research and connect with GIST support networks, please see the Links and Resources area of this site.