Knowledge of the Molecular Signaling Pathways Improves the Chances of Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Abstract

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal (nonepithelial) tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. A better molecular understanding of this entity, as Christopher L. Cordless in Modern Pathology in 20141 demonstrated, GISTs mainly a result from two-level changes in two Oncogenes: KIT oncogene (75%) and PDGFRA oncogene (α receptor platelet-derived growth factor) which occurs in about 10% of cases; the remaining 15% are designated wild type tumors.