More about GIST

GIST is a rare form of cancer mainly found in the gastrointestinal tract. It is discovered yearly among 200 to 300 patients in the Netherlands.
The main goal of Stichting Een gift voor GIST is to raise money in support of the research for this rare form of cancer. The research we will support should aim at finding groundbreaking (medical) treatments to increase the survival rate of patients suffering from GIST tumor.

As it stands the possibilities for treating metastatic or locally advanced GIST are limited. In many cases diagnosis is only made at a too late stage at which point the cancer cells have spread to such an extent that they cannot be surgically removed. Moreover, chemotherapy has not proven to be successful for GIST patients.’

There has been some groundbreaking research done which has led to the discovery of a medicine which inhibits the growth of GIST cancer cells. This medicine only works for some patients, with others it works in first instance, but soon after its effect is no longer visible.

There is still immense amount of research required to help improve the survival rate for patients with this form of cancer. Click here to read more about the projects which Een gift voor GIST is supporting and read more about how you can help.