This poster reported the latest data from the GIST ReGISTry, an online database of GIST patient statistics maintained by a group of American and Canadian GIST specialists and supported by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The most recent data represents 882 GIST patient profiles collected as of March 30, 2009.

Conclusions reported include:

  • Mutation analysis is infrequent with about six percent overall; 1.4 percent in the community oncology practice setting and 12 percent in the university cancer center setting in the United States. In the sister “GOLD ReGISTry”, which covers non-U.S. sites, and which was last reported at ASCO GI (Gastrointestinal) in January 2009, 84 of 500 patients (17%) had initial mutational testing and 40 percent of sites in the study reported use of mutational testing for GIST. This may reflect both the higher percentage of university sites and the higher proportion of advanced GIST patients in the GOLD ReGISTry.
  • Clinical trial participation is infrequent.
  • •Adjuvant use of imatinib is increasing and now includes 17 percent of patients in the registry

Abstract #: 10557