Project FLAG

Project FLAG accrual complete

Although Project FLAG has concluded enrolling patients, the genetic team at DFCI remains interested in hearing from families who have concerns about heritable GIST or other cancer syndromes.  The FLAG experts at DFCI will continue to assist families with information about GIST.

Below is the project description.

Invitation to All GIST Patients

Project FLAG Needs You!  Help us to learn more about GISTs that may occur in families, so that we will be able to develop early detection, testing, and genetic counseling for patients and their relatives.  In FLAG, you could decide to do any or all of the following: (1) share your family cancer history, (2) give a blood or saliva sample for gene analysis, and (3) if a genetic marker is found, work with the study physicians and your own team to consider implications for you and your family.  If you have a diagnosis of GIST and are 18 years or older, whether or not you have any cancer in your family, you are eligible for FLAG.

Sincerely,
Judy Garber MD MPH, Irene Rainville PhD, Lisa DiGianni PhD, and Elizabeth Root
Project FLAG researchers

CLICK HERE to WATCH a VIDEO about Project FLAG with Dr. Demetri and Dr. George.

You can read all about the project and join the effort at this secure website:
https://projectflag.org/ 
It takes only a few minutes to fill out the form to join Project FLAG.

Project FLAG is a research study to learn more about GISTs (gastrointestinal stromal tumors) that may run in families, also known as hereditary GIST. Since only a small number of families with hereditary GIST have been described in the medical literature, not much is known about hereditary GIST.

The goals of Project FLAG are to:

• look at which genes cause GISTs to develop in families
• study the risks by age of GISTs and any other cancers that may be related in families with GIST
• look at clues that may be associated with hereditary GIST, such as non-cancerous skin growths

The research team hopes that by looking at the genes of people with GIST, they can help to estimate their family members' risk of developing GIST. Project FLAG’s other goal is to create cancer screening recommendations for people who have a high risk of developing GIST. This would mean that GIST could possibly be found early and may be easier to treat.

The participating institutions and investigators are:

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  Judy E. Garber, MD, MPH - Principal Investigator
  George Demetri, MD
  Suzanne George, MD
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
  Mark Robson, MD
  Robert Maki, MD, PhD
• The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
  Jonathan Trent, MD, PhD
• Oregon Health and Science University
  Michael Heinrich, MD
  Christopher Corless, MD, PhD

LINK HERE to read a related Q&A explanation about genetic factors in GIST by genetics counselors Kelly Branda, MS  and Irene Rainville, PhD of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  They are part of the Project FLAG team.

Last changed: Apr 13 2013 at 8:33 AM