GIST News A Wave of Information By the LIFE RAFT GROUP

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December 2009

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  • IGF-1R: A novel GIST therapeutic target by Michael Heinrich, M.D. The vast majority of GISTs arising in adult patients have activating mutations of the KIT or PDGFRA genes (80- 90%). GISTs lacking activating KIT or PDGFRA mutations are commonly referred to as wild-type GIST. Despite intensive research, the molecular abnormalities giving rise to wild-type GISTs remain unknown.
  • Vettel lives life with her future in mind by Paula Vettel When you start the morning by throwing up blood, you know it’s not going to be a good day. Thus began my history with GIST in October 1989.
  • LRG launches Latin American GIST initiative by Sara Rothschild November 23, 2009— The LRG announced the foundation of the Latin American GIST Coalition, a partnership of patient advocates starting with ten Latin American countries who have convened to create the Latin American GIST Initiative for the GIST community.
  • More highlights from Life Fest 2010, plus how you can pick Clinician of the Year! Plans for Life Fest 2010, and especially the gala event Friday night, GIST 2010: A Decade of Difference, are moving quite rapidly here.
  • CTOS 2009 Reports: Adult & Pediatric GIST by Jim Hughes Reports by Jim Hughes (Adult GIST) & Jerry Call (Pediatric GIST) from the 2009 Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) meeting.  
  • Big surprises and bigger hearts prevailed at this year’s annual NYC poker tournament by Tricia McAleer The Sixth Annual New York City Poker Tournament, held on November 19 at the Midtown Loft and hosted by Board President Jerry Cudzil, was a tremendous success thanks to all of our supporters who came out to play for a cure.
  • LRG uses registry & “GISTory” to help patients in a new way by Magda Sarnas Many of you who participate in the Life Raft Group’s Patient Registry may have received our monthly plea to help us update our records. Those who received this plea in November also received an additional surprise: We included a PDF document that consolidated your medical history of GIST, aka your GISTory.
  • A spotlight on trials for adjuvant GIST by Jim Hughes Adjuvant trials don’t always get the same attention as second and third line trials for advanced GIST patients. They can also take up to seven years to get results. But when they do get reported the news can be earth moving.
  • December 2009 clinical trials update by Jim Hughes
  • What Does a Cure Mean For You? Last year, we tried something new and asked everyone to get involved. Because cancer affects all of us.
    We asked the questions, “What does a cure for cancer mean to you?” and invited the world to join the GIST community in our quest for the cure.
  • Rhode Island GISTers meet! On Saturday, October 17th, the New England GIST group gathered for its second annual luncheon at Susan Farmer’s house in Providence.
  • Pennsylvania GISTers meet! by Kim Trout Pennsylvania GISTers gathered for lunch on November 14, at The Cheesecake Factory in King of Prussia.
  • Hague runs with friendship in her heart by Belinda Ehrlich In memory of her friend Bill Roth, Wendy Hague completed a half-marathon – 13.1 miles – October 4 in Portland, Maine and raised $1,800 for the Life Raft Group.
  • Supporters ‘Show The Love’ for Texas Marathoner by Belinda Ehrlich “Show the love!” Kate Poss emphatically writes on her website. “The generosity continues! We hit $5,000 in less than three weeks!” Kate will be running the 26-mile Austin Marathon on February 14, 2010, with all donations going to the Life Raft Group.
  • Chuyko passes with love at her side
  • Hamilton lived his life serving others Our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle, Joseph Glenn Hamilton, born March 29, 1949, in Mobile, AL, passed away October 4, 2009, after a long and tough battle with GIST...
  • Father, grandpa & friend says goodbye Herbert Dewayne Moses, age 54, of Corbin, passed away on Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin.
  • Cherished mother & farm girl passes away Neva Hatten Hageman, passed away Wednesday (08/12/09) at The Ambassador in Nebraska City
  • LRG in the News: Poster & Abstracts, oh my! The LRG keeps popping up in the science community. Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the Consortium for Pediatric & GIST Research (of which, LRG is a part) submitted a poster from the NIH Pediatric GIST & Wildtype Clinic with Tricia McAleer, Program Director of the LRG listed as one if its authors.
  • Cross-continental fun at the LRG office! Estelle Lecointe, French cancer advocacy poster girl, founder of Ensemble Contre le GIST, and all-around pretty groovy person stopped by LRG headquarters in October...
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