How common is GIST?
GISTs are not common, and the exact number of people diagnosed with this tumor type each year is not known. There are an estimated 3300 to 6000 new cases reported each year in the United States. At diagnosis, approximately 2500 of these cases are metastatic —cancer that has spread from its primary site in the body to another site. Although GISTs occur predominantly in adults, they can occur at any age. The average age at diagnosis is between 40 and 60 years. The incidence of GISTs is slightly higher in men than in women.
