Dr. Chris Corless
In August, the LRG Webcast Series presented “Mutational Analysis of GISTs: How, When and Why.” Dr. Christopher Corless of Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) presented the hour- long webcast in which he detailed the importance of and the science behind mutational testing.
As GIST research has deepened, scientists have learned that instead of being just one disease, GIST is more accurately classified as a family of cancers, with each GIST mutational type representing variances in stability and response to the available drug therapies. To date, the LRG’s GIST Patient Registry represents patients spanning 12 known mutational types, with several still unclassified and clustered under the label “wildtype”.
In order to provide GIST patients with the fullest and richest knowledge about their prognosis and treatment options The Life Raft Group has partnered with OHSU, one of the foremost GIST mutational testing centers in the country. We will assist any member of the LRG Patient Registry in accessing these services. We are pleased to report that the program has remained a success. While it is reported that only eight percent of GIST patients worldwide have mutational testing performed, the patient registry averages 40 percent.
With one of our highest live and offline listening numbers to date, it is clear that mutational testing is an issue of great interest to our community. To access the archived recording, please visit www.liferaftgroup.org/2015/08/mutational-analysis-of-gists-how-when-and-why/ or scroll through our media library: www.liferaftgroup.org/webcasts/ to hear past presentations in the Webcast Series.
To receive your own mutational test and take advantage of the multitude of other helpful services within the LRG Patient Registry please visit www.liferaftgroup.org/patient-registry/ or email liferaft@liferaftgroup.org to get started.
