2013 GI ASCO GIST summary
This is a brief summary of abstracts presented at the 2013 GI ASCO meeting. Please note that abstracts have not been through a complete peer review process and are considered to be preliminary.
Understanding How GISTs Develop Enables Discovery of New Therapies
By Drs. Sebastian Bauer, West German Cancer Center, University of Essen, Germany and Jonathan Fletcher, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard University, LRG Research Team Researchers talk plainly about microGISTs, how this cancer develops and what all [...]
Imatinib Plasma Levels Revisited – An editorial post by Jerry Call
Since we have gotten a number of questions about Gleevec (imatinib) plasma levels and testing, I think it’s time to revisit the subject, especially for newer members. Since this is a very complex subject, this may take a few emails and a few days.
Sutent – What to Expect When You Begin
Sutent is the second-line approved treatment for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor and is prescribed when treatment with the first-line drug, Gleevec (Imatinib) is no longer effective or cannot be tolerated. The two drugs work differently, so [...]
Phase II SARC-022 IGF-1R Trial Currently Recruiting and Planning to Add New Sites
The Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) in partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is currently recruiting patients for its Phase II trial (SARC-022) of Linsitinib (OSI-906), an IGF-1R inhibitor. Linsitinib is targeted [...]
Sutent Treatment Use Trial Results
Patients with GIST who received sunitinib using a flexible dose approach to manage adverse events remained on treatment longer than those who received the strict dose/schedule and exhibited better clinical outcomes (longer time to tumor progression and longer overall survival).
Anemia has multiple causes and treatments
When your blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells or have enough hemoglobin, you can tire quickly or feel weak. This condition is called anemia. The fatigue that comes with anemia can lead to a decreased quality of life. Some fatigue is not related to anemia. Anemia has three broad causes; blood loss, decreased blood cell production and increased blood cell destruction. The first two are the most relevant for GIST patients.
Stivarga Side Effects
Stivarga comes in 40 mg tablets. Once opened, it must be used within 28 days. Stivarga must be stored in the bottle that it comes in, the desiccant must remain in the bottle; keep bottle tightly sealed. Do not store in a daily or weekly pill box.
Understanding Drug Classes
Many new cancer drugs are entering clinical practice and clinical trials. Many GIST patients are no longer responding to Gleevec or Sutent and thus are looking for clinical trials. Understanding strategies and grouping these new drugs into classes with other similar drugs may help patients understand some of their choices.
Clinical Trials Database Explained
You may not have noticed, but the clinical trials section of the website has changed dramatically in the last month. This section of the website is now database-driven and has a lot more information.