Gastrointenstinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are rare malignancies arising along the gastrointestinal tract. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have substantially improved survival for patients with unresectable or metastatic GIST. As a result, an increasing number of patients live with advanced disease under chronic TKI therapy, highlighting the need to understand long-term survivorship, including health-related quality of life (HRQoL), treatment burden, and clinical outcomes. This international, multicentre observational study includes two components: a retrospective cross-sectional study to evaluate the relevance and applicability of patient-reported outcome instruments, and a prospective cohort to document long-term clinical outcomes, HRQoL, treatment patterns, and survivorship challenges. Participants will include adults with advanced or metastatic GIST who have received TKI therapy for at least 2 years. Data will be collected from medical records and through validated patient-reported outcome questionnaires at baseline and annually for up to 10 years. This study aims to provide insight into HRQoL problems, treatment discontinuation, coping strategies, and the impact of financial toxicity among long-term survivors of GIST.

This study is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, phase II clinical trial. It plans to enroll 182 patients with localized gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) at special anatomic sites. Eligible patients who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria and provide written informed consent will undergo robotic radical surgery. Postoperative treatment will be determined jointly by the clinicians and patients based on actual clinical practice.

Patients diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a rare type of tumor in the digestive tractparticipate in this scientific research study, known as a registry study, to help improve understanding and treatment of GIST. This study collects medical information and biological samples-such as blood or tumor tissue-from patients. It does not involve new treatments, medications, or medical procedures. The patient's regular medical care will continue as usual, and participation will not require extra appointments or tests. The study aims to learn more about how GIST behaves, especially in rare forms such as SDH-deficient or NF1-associated tumors. While targeted drugs are available for many patients, some tumors return or become resistant to treatment. By gathering data from many patients, researchers hope to better understand these challenges, identify risk factors for worse outcomes, and help design future studies and treatments-especially for rare types of GIST. If the patient agrees to participate, information will be collected from their medical records, scans (such as CT or MRI), and doctor visits. They may be asked to complete optional questionnaires about their health and quality of life. If they consent, small blood samples (up to 50 ml) may be collected during routine check-ups. If surgery is needed, a small part of the tumor tissue may be stored for research. Other samples-such as saliva, stool, urine, or spinal fluid-may also be collected if they are taken during normal care, to study how bacteria in the body might affect the disease and treatment. Participation is completely voluntary. The patient can choose to join or not, and can withdraw at any time without affecting their care or relationship with their doctor. Even if they do not agree to provide biological samples, they can still take part in the study by sharing medical data and scan results.