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GIST Symptoms And Treatment | Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

  • GIST Symptoms And Treatment | Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

    This form of the tumor will start within the specialized nerve cells situated in the digestive system’s walls. These cells have become a major part of the autonomic nervous system. A specified DNA change of these cells will give rise to GIST, which will control the digestive processes like food’s movement. 
    Smaller GISTs will cause no such symptoms. They will rather grow very slowly and won’t show any serious side effects. On the other hand, you have others suffering from larger GISTs, who are in need of medical attention when they start passing blood in the stool or vomiting blood because the tumor starts to bleed rapidly.

    Catch on with the symptoms first:

    The best gastroenterology hospital in Bangalore will not just treat GISTs from their cores but will also help patients to understand the symptoms. Understanding symptoms beforehand will actually help you to visit the doctor when the tumors are at their initial stage.
    Gastritis Syptoms

     

     - Abdominal pain is pretty common during this stage.
     - Then you have anemia, which is again caused by that slow bleeding tumor.
     - Nausea is another interesting point of focus.
     - You can feel a growth inside your abdomen, which is the first sign of tumor formation.
     - Vomiting is another crucial symptom that doctors will ask you to look into. If you vomit blood, make sure to visit the doctor immediately.
     - You might feel a loss of appetite as another major part of the GISTs.
     - Some might undergo some tremendous weight loss.
     - Some of you might even feel difficulty while swallowing.

    There is no such age gap, and GISTs can develop in anyone, irrespective of age. However, they are most commonly grown between the age group of 50 and 70. Most of the time, they never occur among people before the age group of 40 years, but there might be some exceptions sometimes. In rare instances, a mutation or inherited genetic change might give rise to GISTs.
     

    Getting along with the treatment:

    The smaller versions of the asymptomatic GISTs can mostly be found within the course of tests for another condition. So, the best gastroenterology doctors in Bangalore will be watchful of that case and will start treatment if they see any kind of GIST formation over here. But, understanding more about the treatment is a necessity over here. So, let’s get on with the treatment solution first.
     

    The first option of surgery:

    Most of the time, if the patient is suffering from larger or symptomatic GISTs, then surgically removing them is the only option left over here, unless they remain too large or involve way too many tissues and organs for the surgical sessions. 

     - During such instances, resection might get delayed or even avoided in those people whose general health makes surgery too risky to go through.
     - On the other hand, if the patient with GISTs has metastatic GISTs, then gastroenterology surgery might not be a good option all the time. It is always up to the doctors to judge them.
     - It is always quite possible to respect the GISTs with the help of minimally invasive surgery. Here, the doctors are going to insert a viewing tube or laparoscope along with some surgical items through smaller abdominal incisions.

    Focusing on the targeted drug therapy:

    Targeted drug therapy or gastric treatment will focus primarily on the specified abnormalities situated within cancer cells. The main goal of the targeted drug treatments is to block those abnormalities. As a result, it will cause all the cancerous cells to die. 
    When it comes to GISTs, doctors will recommend using drugs, which are designed to kill tyrosine kinase enzymes. It helps the cancer cells to die and not grow.

     

     - The first-ever line of targeted therapy for preventing GISTs was Imatinib. This drug was used for preventing GIST recurrence after the surgical process was done and dusted.
     - The same drug is also recommended by doctors to shrink the tumor’s size before going for the surgical process. 
     - It is a clever point to consider when surgery is not possible. The drug can further be used for controlling recurrent GISTs. 
     - The treatment will continue for as long as the drug seems effective on the patient’s body. The reputed and best gastro surgeon in Bangalore would like to see the process thoroughly, from the start till finish.
     - Some of the other drugs, which target enzyme-like tyrosine kinase, can also be used in case GISTs fail to respond to Imatinib or have become resistant to it with time.
     - The value of Targeted Drug Therapy is hard to ignore. It is one active cancer research arena. So, new medications are subject to be found in the near future as well.

    The final say:

    It is not hard to state that treatment and investigations of a tumor can be a pretty time-consuming and difficult task to follow. So, the patients are in desperate need of some support and care for their emotional, physical and social needs. In case the patient is showing any kind of abdominal discomfort, then make sure to take him to Mh Surgery Clinic directly. 
    This medical center has some well-trained and experienced gastroenterologists who will perform the right diagnosis to find the main issue with the abdominal pain or blood in the stool. If the problem is with GISTs, proper treatment will be presented.

    Check our next blog- A COMPLETE GUIDE TO GASTROENTERITIS | STOMACH FLU


    Author: DR. MANJUNATH HARIDAS (MD FACS FICS)

    Dr. Manjunath Haridas is one of the leading surgeons for Gastrointestinal Sciences in Whitefield, Bangalore. His area of expertise includes Gastrointestinal Surgery - Colon Rectum, Foregut Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, and Minimally invasive surgery. He is Honored by the American Board of Certification, fellow Of the American College of Surgeons, SAGES membership and more.

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