Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
Small Molecule Therapeutics
Every year, approximately 4,000 to 6,000 adults in the US are diagnosed with Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), a rare type of GI tumor. Most mesenchymal neoplasms of the digestive system are GISTs, which develop from interstitial Cajal cells. About 60% of GISTs begin in the stomach, and around 35% set in the small intestine. The remaining types of GISTs usually start in the rectum, colon, and esophagus. Anemia, indigestion, bleeding, and abdominal pain brought on by stressful situations are typical clinical signs and symptoms of GISTs. Most GISTs have an activating mutation in either KIT or PDGFRA. Additionally, the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is essential in the malignant transformation of GIST and thus overexpressed in GIST.