In 2012 GIST Support UK granted £20,000 funding to Professor Ian Judson and his team at the Royal Marsden for a research project.
This project aimed to collect tissue samples stored in hospital pathology departments for GIST patients who had been treated at the Marsden over previous years and then to retrospectively undertake mutational analysis of all the samples.
At the outset it was envisaged that this would provide data about the type of GIST, treatments given and subsequent pathways for c.300 patients. It has taken an enormous effort to track and retrieve the samples and then undertake mutational analysis for what has ended up being 550 patients.
Professor Judson is excited to report that with GIST Support UK’s help, he and his team have now managed, to “accumulate a database of clinical and mutational analysis information on 550 GIST patients”. This material will form the basis for a research project, in collaboration with other groups, looking at the incidence and prevalence of different mutational subtypes and their influence on response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the development of resistance.
The results of this research will provide valuable insights which may influence future treatment approaches and is the basis for some very informative further GIST research.
Thank you to all of our supporters for helping to raise the funds that have made this work possible!