Does STI-571 work against all GIST tumors?
No. In early Clinical Trials, it seems to be effective in shrinking tumors between 80% to 90% of the time. How fast does STI-571 work against GIST tumors? Generally, significant shrinkage is being seen within 30 days. What is the c-kit test? It is a test for CD117, or c-kit, a protein on the surface of the cell membrane. What is GIST? A gastrointestinal primary tumor, Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumor, considered LMS, but descended from a slightly different smooth muscle cell. All leiomyosarcomas show markers for smooth muscle (ie actin), but GIST arises from a specialized smooth muscle cell called Interstitial Cell of Cajal. If you have GIST, find out if you are c-kit positive. If so, you are a candidate for STI-571 should the need arise. How do I know if I am c-kit positive? A slide from your tumor is stained/tested and looked at under the microscope by a pathologist. Does it matter if the tumor slide is from my primary tumor or from one of my mets (secondary tumor)? No. But it needs t
