Guidance for gastro-intestinal stromal tumours

The guidance recommends sunitinib as a possible treatment for people with unresectable (non-operable) or metastatic (where the cancer has spread) GIST if they have already tried imatinib treatment but it has stopped working, or was not suitable. Sunitinib is recommended on the basis that the cost of the drug for the first treatment cycle is covered by the manufacturer.

GISTs are found in the digestive system, most commonly in the stomach. Many of these tumours are benign and cause few symptoms. If they become malignant (cancerous) and are confined to one area of the stomach or bowel, they can often be removed surgically. Where this is not possible, current NICE guidance recommends that imatinib should be offered to patients as a first line treatment option. However, this is not suitable for all patients with some not able to tolerate the drug while others will develop a reduced response to it at over time.