Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Overview

Anal cancer accounts for 1.6% of all GI malignancies in the US. Its incidence increases with age; the peak is in the sixth and seventh decades. HPV has been liked to this disease, as has renal transplant, smokers, and patients with HIV infection. Symptoms include pain, mass, constipation, diarrhea, and itching, however 25% of cases are asymptomatic. Procedures for diagnosis include physical exam, anoscopy, proctoscopy, and transrectal ultrasound. A biopsy is required. Staging includes imaging. Women should have a gynecologic exam screening for HPV. Both men and women should be checked for HIV.

Treatment Options

Treatment can include surgery, combined chemotherapy and radiation or chemotherapy alone. Chemotherapy agents used include 5-FU, mitomycin, and cisplatin.

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) Specialists

Dr. Abraham Schwarzberg

Abraham Schwarzberg, MD, formerly a clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital’s department of medical oncology, has an ongoing commitment to academic medicine and clinical research. Dr. Schwarzberg received his medical oncology and hematology training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and his internal medicine training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, both in Boston.

Dr. Schwarzberg is the Senior Vice President of Network Development & Chief of Oncology at Tampa General Hospital. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

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Dr. Raymond Tsao

Dr. Tsao is board certified in medical oncology and hematology. He is currently seeing patients with all types of cancer, with a focus on hematologic and gastrointestinal malignancies, including esophageal, stomach, colorectal and pancreatic cancer. Dr. Tsao is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Society of Hematology.

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Dr. Vijay Narendran

Dr. Narendran is board certified in medical oncology and hematology. Dr. Narendran treats a variety of cancers and has a special interest in gastrointestinal and hematologic malignancies. Dr. Narendran is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

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Kelly Foster, MD

Dr. Foster is board certified in medical oncology, internal medicine and palliative medicine. She is currently seeing patients with all types of cancer, with a focus on breast and gastrointestinal cancers (gastric, esophageal, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, colon, anal). She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Kelly Foster.