Overview and Purpose

The New Challenges in Treating GIST: Which Target, What Agent, How Much, and When to Treat symposium is intended to address new challenges that have arisen in the treatment of GIST and to discuss the most effective therapeutic strategies for managing the disease. Participants will learn the rationale for using kinase inhibitors in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings based on an understanding of the molecular biology underlying the pathogenesis of GIST. In addition, the importance of a multimodality team approach utilizing expert skills of surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, and radiologists to determine the best treatment path for each patient will be discussed. Optimal dose and duration of kinase therapy as well as novel alternatives for TKI-resistant advanced disease will be presented. Finally, interactive cases and moderated panel discussions will attempt to answer questions concerning standard criteria for a tumor response as well as treatment strategies for localized GIST.

Target Audience

This educational program is directed toward medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiologists, internal medicine and primary care physicians, and fellows interested in the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Oncology nurses, oncology physician assistants, and other individuals interested in the treatment of cancer are also invited to attend.

CME Accreditation and Credit Designation

Physicians: Physicians’ Education Resource is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians’ Education Resource designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts category 1 credit from AOACCME, Prescribed credit from AAFP, and AMA Category 1 CME credit for the PRA from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this symposium, you should be able to:

  • Diagnose GIST in patients based on the tumor histology and the mutational status of c-Kit and PDGFR-α
  • Decide when to use targeted kinase therapy for adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant treatment of localized GIST based on evidence from clinical trials
  • Determine the optimal multimodality approach for localized GIST, including surgical options, standard imaging strategy (CT, MRI, FDG-PET), and/or perioperative use of multitargeted kinase inhibitors
  • Assess the efficacy and safety of multitargeted kinase inhibitors in advanced/metastatic GIST, including choosing the optimal dose, duration, and sequence of therapy based on evidence from clinical trials
  • Evaluate the efficacy and safety of novel inhibitors, such as mTOR, Src kinase, and HSP90 inhibitors, in the treatment of advanced GIST
  • Discuss the standard criteria, such as tumor shrinkage and decreased density, used to measure tumor response to therapy based on imaging techniques, including CT, MRI, and FDG-PET

Acknowledgement

Supported by an educational grant from