The Magic of Clinical Trial Math
How to Make 2/3 = 1 (100%) In a recent discussion about the frequency of mutations in GIST, we noted that the most common mutation is KIT exon 11, which makes up about 2/3 [...]
How to Make 2/3 = 1 (100%) In a recent discussion about the frequency of mutations in GIST, we noted that the most common mutation is KIT exon 11, which makes up about 2/3 [...]
Pharma Panel: Overview of Promising Trials for GIST Blueprint Medicines View all life fest 2018 videos
At the most basic level, cancer patients join clinical trials because of perceived value and perceived cost. In this context, perceived cost refers to more than just financial cost, although that is important. Perceived [...]
The Life Raft Group Clinic Trials Database currently lists 31 trials that are open that are or could be of interest to GIST patients. Many of the most interesting of these new drugs are [...]
Patient-reported outcomes is a buzz-phase that we hear a lot these days. At the Life Raft Group, I was recently in a meeting where we were discussing patient-reported outcomes, the LRG registry and patient-powered [...]
Dr. Alexander Drilon of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center recently reported at AACR on a potential new cancer treatment, Entrectinib, a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor developed to target tumors carrying NTRK1, NTRK2, NTRK3, [...]
If you have a mutation of any of the SDH subunits (a,b,c, or d), the next important question to ask is whether or not it is a germline mutation. (So far, data has indicated that 80% of SDH-deficient tumors are germline). The term "germline" means that the mutation is present in every cell of your body. Germline mutations are hereditary, and can be passed on to your children. For this reason, genetic testing and counseling could be informative for parents, siblings and other family members. If a family member tests positive for the mutation, this does not mean that they will get GIST.
Recently a number of companies have begun to develop therapeutic options that target some of the rarer mutations in GIST. As there are currently no approved treatments specifically for these patients, this [...]
A recent call to action from ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology recommends expanding clinical trials to include more older adults. Given that greater than 60% of cancers in [...]
The 6th issue of the GIST Cancer Journal, official journal of the LRG and the first academic journal devoted solely to GIST is now available