Because imatinib (Gleevec) does not kill all GIST cancer cells, new treatment ideas under development include:

• combination trials of imatinib plus other drugs
• imatinib plus surgery in specified sequences (see trials for neo-adjuvant and adjuvant imatinib)
• heat shock protein inhibitors

A number of consensus documents summarizing expert opinion about GIST treatment are available, including those listed below.

NCCN Soft Tissue Sarcoma Guide (2006)

European Society for Medical Oncology  consensus guidelines published  by Blay et al, 2005 (click here for a  summary on our site as well as summary  slides by Dr. Reichardt on our site).

French National Federation of Cancer Centers consensus guidelines written in French (Recommandations pour la prise en charge des tumeurs stromales gastro-intestinales (GIST)

Canadian Advisory Committee on GIST statement Gastrointestinal stromal tumours: Consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment (Blackstein et al, 2006).