Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are soft tissue sarcomas that develop in the stomach or small intestines. They first occur in specialized cells found in the walls of the digestive system, and the condition is often diagnosed in adults between the ages of 40 and 70. Individuals with this disease experience discomforting symptoms, such as abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and tarry stools.
This article attempts to shed light on the risk factors associated with the condition. These influence the tumor’s development; however, they do not always directly cause the disease.
Risk factors
There are only a few known risk factors for the condition. In most cases, GISTs don’t have a distinct cause, but certain genetic mutations can lead to the disease.
Some of these genes and conditions that increase the chances of GIST are mentioned below:
The survival rate of GISTs
The 5-year survival rate of GIST is 83% and many factors can impact this percentage. If the tumor hasn’t spread from the organ where it first occurred, the 5-year survival rate is 94%. However, it goes down to 82% if the cancer has spread to the surrounding tissues or organs and dips further down to 52% if it has spread to distant body parts.
Top
Articles