Understanding GIST
Epidemiology
Historically, gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) was misdiagnosed or went undiagnosed.1 Since the clarification of the definition of GIST, more tumours are being diagnosed, and cases are being more clearly diagnosed. This is evident in the increase in GIST diagnoses with a concurrent decrease in diagnoses of "GIST-like" tumours.1
GIST is now recognised as having a much higher incidence than previously thought. Under the current, widely accepted definition of GIST as a distinct molecular and pathologic entity, the incidence of GIST is in the range of 10-20 cases per million persons per year.1-5 The prevalence of GIST in a population-based study was estimated to be 129 cases per million persons.5 GIST tumours occur at a median age of 60 years and are slightly more predominant in men than women.3
References:
1. Goettsch WG, Bos SD, Breekveldt-Postma N, Casparie M, Herings RM, Hogendoorn PC. Incidence of gastrointestinal stromal tumours is underestimated: results of a nation-wide study. Eur J Cancer. 2005;41:2868-2872.
2. Joensuu H. Current perspectives on the epidemiology of gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Eur J Cancer. 2006;4(suppl 1):4-9.
3. Blay JY, Bonvalot S, Casali P, et al. Consensus meeting for the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Report of the GIST Consensus Conference of 20-21 March 2004, under the auspices of European Society for Medical Oncology. Ann Oncol. 2005;16:566-578.
4. Miettinen M, Lasota J. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors--definition, clinical, histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic features and differential diagnosis. Virchows Arch. 2001;438:1-12.
5. Nilsson B, Bumming P, Meis-Kindblom JM, et al. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: The incidence, prevalence, clinical course, and prognostication in the preimatinib mesylate era. Cancer. 2005;103:821-829