Bayer recently announced the results of its Phase III trial for regorafenib (BAY 73-4506), which is designed for patients with metastatic and/or unresectable GIST that have failed both imatinib and sunitinib.
I was caught up in a whirlwind when I found out that I had cancer on a Monday morning in October of 2011. I was admitted to the hospital that same day in preparation to have emergency surgery the next morning to remove the tumors and then found out I had GIST - all in a 24 hour period! I felt like my world had turned upside down and shortly after that during my recovery, I was lucky enough to find Life Raft.
About 80 GIST patients, relatives, GIST experts, interested professionals, physicians and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry gathered at the Restaurant Au Premier at Zurich Main Station in Zurich on April 8 for the ninth meeting of the Swiss GIST group. A warm welcome was extended to special guests Candy Heberlein, President of the Swiss Foundation for the Promotion of Bone Marrow Transplantation, and Christel Jäger-Freysoldt, chief executive of Das Lebenshaus in Germany.
GIST is a disease with a number of subtypes, and is beginning to be increasingly viewed as a “family of diseases”. One particular form of the disease is commonly known as “Pediatric GIST” - in this form the mutation occurs when the patient is either a child or young adult (but may not be discovered until later).
Executive Director Norman Scherzer talks about the founding of the Life Raft Group and the importance of Gleevec in the fight against GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor).
We all shared our experiences, treatments, discoveries and generally got to know each other. There was a special camaraderie that was established once we met face-to-face.
The Life Raft Group Research Team met in Leuven, Belgium last month to discuss progress to date, and formulate a plan on how to effectively move GIST research forward. Every member of the research team was in attendance, as well as guests...
Durham, David A. age 53, of Grand Rapids, Mich. and Minnetonka, Minn. won his eighteen-year battle with cancer and transitioned peacefully forward surrounded by his loving family on March 1, 2012.
Betty Hayes Arnett went to be with our Lord and Savior Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 at age 64, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born Aug. 23, 1947 to Ruel and Mattie Hayes in Corsicana, Calif. She was a beloved mother, grandmother and wife. She was a longtime member of Missionary Baptist Church of Corsicana.
Twelve years ago, Life Rafter Bobby Kinsey began his own battle against GIST. Since then, he has helped countless people with GIST across the world. Most of you know Bobby as an LRG member who posts advice and words of encouragement in our email community. Now, Bobby has decided that he wants to do more to help fight this cancer.
