Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)

Questions for Your Doctor

When you are diagnosed with GISTs, there are so many questions you need answers to, and so much information to take in. Your doctor is your primary source regarding your specific medical case. Here are some questions you may want to ask regarding your diagnosis and your treatment plan:

• What type of GISTs do I have?
• What stage are my GISTs?
• What are my treatment choices?
• What are the expected benefits of each kind of treatment?
• What are the risks of each treatment?
• What are the side effects of each treatment?
• How will we know if this is working?
• How will each treatment affect my daily life?
• Are there new treatments or clinical trials that I should consider?
• What are the chances of the cancer coming back again?
• What are my chances of being cured?

 

Support Programs & Groups

Being diagnosed with GISTs can leave you feeling overwhelmed, afraid, and alone. Educating yourself about your GISTs is an important step towards taking control.

Talking with other people who have GISTs can also help to ease your feelings of isolation. A support group may help you cope with the practical and emotional aspects of the disease. Your doctor or hospital may be able to provide information about local support groups. The following organizations can provide you with additional information:

GISTsupport.org
12 Bomaca Drive
Doylestown, PA 18901
215- 340-9374
www.gistsupport.org

American Cancer Society®
National Home Office
1599 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
1-800-ACS-2345
www.cancer.org

Cancer Care®
275 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10001
1-800-813-HOPE
www.cancercare.org

The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service
31 Center Drive, MSC 2580
Bethesda, MD 20892-2580
1-800-4-CANCER
Those with TTY equipment may call 1-800-332-8615
www.cancer.gov or cis.nci.nih.gov

National Comprehensive Cancer Network®
Patient Information and Referral Service
1-888-909-NCCN
www.nccn.org

 

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