Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are relatively rare mesenchymal neoplasms that can
arise in any area of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In the past decade, significant advances
have been made in the understanding of GIST biology and molecular pathogenesis. The
identification of key signaling transduction pathways has led to the development of
molecularly targeted therapies that have improved dramatically the prognosis for GIST
patients.