GISTs usually affect adults. The causes of GISTs are not known. Symptoms may not appear in the early stages, but may appear as the
tumor grows. Common symptoms of GISTs are:
- Abdominal pain
- Bleeding into the intestinal tract that may cause dark stools
- Bleeding into the stomach that may cause the patient to vomit blood
- Loss of appetite
- Feelings of nausea
- Exhaustion
Currently, there are very few known risk factors for GISTs. In some instances, they have occurred in members of the same family,
although most GIST cases are not inherited.
Close