Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
(GIST) Glossary of Terms
Helpful words to know
Anemia: Low levels of red blood cells, which can cause symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, fainting, and weakness.
Chemotherapy: Drug therapy intended to kill tumor cells or prevent them from growing.
Computed tomography (CT) scan: The most common scan your doctor will use to measure the size and number of your tumors.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST): Rare tumors in the GI tract. The majority of these tumors start in the stomach or small intestine.
Gastrointestinal (GI) tract: Where food is processed for energy and solid waste is removed; includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum.
Imaging: Scans that allow your doctors to take pictures of your KIT+ GIST tumors and evaluate your response to treatment. Three common types of imaging are CT, MRI, and PET scans.
Kinase Inhibitor: A drug that interferes with cell communication and growth which may prevent the growth of tumors.
KIT: A protein that tells cells to grow and divide as needed.
KIT-positive (KIT+) GIST: A type of GIST in which the KIT protein is constantly active, or "on." This causes the cells of the tumor to grow and divide abnormally.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: An MRI uses radio waves and giant magnets to create detailed scans of the body to help determine if tumors have spread or returned.
Positron emission tomography (PET) scan: This scan is helpful for identifying whether or not tumors cells are alive or dead, regardless of whether the tumor has shrunk.
Radiation: A form of treatment that destroys cancer cells using a focused beam of high-frequency particles or electromagnetic waves (such as Xrays or gamma rays).
Response: A measure of how well your treatment is working.
Surgery: An operation. Surgery may be performed to remove tumors and/or repair damaged tissue.
X ray: A 2-dimensional picture of parts of the body taken using small amounts of radiation.
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