​Because gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) has an estimated incidence of 3,300 to 6,000 new cases per year in the United States, comprising less than 1% of all gastrointestinal tumors, the rarity of this tumor type can make it more challenging for oncologists and other members of the cancer care team to stay up to date on the latest treatments. Michael C. Heinrich, MD, lead investigator of the phase 1 NAVIGATOR trial, recently spoke with i3 Health about the FDA's approval of avapritinib (Ayv...

Being infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that grows in the stomach, and having a family history of gastric cancer are the two main risk factors for developing gastric cancer. Results from a recent study revealed that treatment to eradicate H. pylori can help reduce gastric cancer risk in those who have the bacterium and a family history of the disease. For the single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, results of which are published in The New England Journal ...

Up to 10% of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) harbor platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) exon 18 mutations, which have been linked to resistance to standard GIST therapies. The FDA's recent approval of avapritinib (AyvakitTM, Blueprint Medicines) for adults with unresectable or metastatic GIST with PDGFRA exon 18 mutations has given these patients a highly promising treatment option. In this interview, Michael C. Heinrich, MD, lead investigator of the phase ...

Many patients with advanced gastric cancer inevitably lose weight while receiving systemic treatment, with some patients struggling with maintaining adequate nutrition. Researchers set out to investigate the impact of losing weight early on in treatment on patients' survival. For this study, results of which are published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, phase 3 trials involving patients with gastric/gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer receiving ramucirumab were analyzed by the researchers: R...

​The FDA has approved avapritinib (AyvakitTM, Blueprint Medicines) for adults with unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) exon 18 mutations, including D842V mutations, the most common type of exon 18 mutation. Up to 10% of patients with GIST harbor PDGFRA mutations, which have been linked to GIST development."GIST harboring a PDGFRA exon 18 mutation do not respond to standard therapies for GIST," commented Rich...