The Best Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Treatment In Pakistan

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor or the GIST tumors refer to the soft tissue tumors that account for less than 1% of the gastrointestinal tract tumors. Approximately 50%70% of these tumors are found in the stomach, whereas 20%-30% are in the small intestine. A very few percentages of GIST tumors reside in the esophagus, large intestine, or duodenum. Wherever the tumor's location is, Dr. Tahir Yunus at ALSA Pakistan offers you the best-promised treatment for the condition.

What are GIST tumors?

GISTS are quite different from the other GI tumor types, such as stomach cancer and colon cancers. It occurs in specific nerve cells in the digestive system wall that play an important role in peristalsis, the movement of food through the GI tract. Half of the patients suffering from GISTS also suffer from the distant spread of the tumor via the bloodstream to other organs such as the liver and abdomen but rarely to the bones and lungs. Primarily, GIST cancer treatment depends upon the size and location of the tumor. However, we promise you the finest treatment option for all types of GIST tumors at ALSA Pakistan. You can also read about GIST Tumor from Wikipedia.

Mostly, the people who suffer from Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors belong to 55 – 65 years of age. However, some cases in children have also been reported. It is very rare for people under 40 years to suffer from GISTS. Furthermore, men are more prone to the disease than women.

Causes of Gastrointestinal stromal tumor


According to cancer.org, there are no environmental or lifestyle practices known as the cause of GIST tumors. Instead, it is believed that an inherited syndrome caused by a genetic mutation cannot be prevented but can only be treated.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor symptoms

Notably, GISTS rarely cause any symptoms during the earlier stages. Therefore, the tumors are significant in size when diagnosed. Furthermore, the symptoms also depend upon tumor sizes. Some of the common GIST symptoms include;

  • Minor bowel tumors cause pain and bleeding, whereas larger tumors may also cause constipation.
  • In the esophagus, the GISTS are indicated via swallowing disorder.
  • Tumors in the stomach or duodenum cause abdominal pain and nausea. Anemia may also be caused due to bleeding in the GI tract that mostly goes unnoticed.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor symptoms may also include;

  • Fatigue
  • Cramps after eating
  • Feeling full even with small meals
  • Dark-colored stools, which may be due to bleeding

Diagnosis of GIST tumor

At ALSA Pakistan, our primary focus is the deft diagnosis of the tumor because our expert surgeons realize that there are various types of gist tumors. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of GIST tumor is vital to the promised Gastrointestinal stromal tumor treatment in Pakistan. Hence, our well-experienced surgeons prefer a thorough multi-step approach for the diagnosis of GIST tumors such as follows;

  • CAT or CT scan
  • MRI
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
  • Endoscopy ultrasound
  • Biopsy – Fine needle aspiration biopsy
  • Biomarker testing of the cancerous mass
  • Tumor pathology

Notably, every patient doesn't need every test mentioned above.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor

GIST cancer treatment

There are two main treatment approaches for GISTs; targeted drug therapy and surgery. The choice of the treatment depends upon the type and condition of the patient. Importantly, not all tumors need treatment, such as the minor tumors that do not cause any symptoms. However, our expert professional advise proper diagnosis to check if the tumor grows.

Surgery

Surgery is the first approach to GIST cancer treatment: benign tumors that stick to their primary location. At ALSA Pakistan, we offer you the most advanced surgical treatment to remove all the GISTs; laparoscopic surgery by the best surgeon in Pakistan, Dr. Tahir Yunus. Drug therapy may also be used before surgery to shrink the tumor or after the surgery to reduce the risk of the tumor reoccurrence.

At ALSA Pakistan, we not only take pride in our most advanced treatment options but our state-of-the-art machinery as well. Therefore, not only can you completely rely on our well-experienced and knowledgeable panel of surgeons but the skills of paramedical staff. In addition, our facility's stringent hygienic conditions further ensure the complete and healthy recovery from the Gastrointestinal stromal tumor treatment in Pakistan.