2022 Meetings reports

There were 2 meetings this year:  Bath, UK (March 2022) | Liverpool, UK (October 2022) - see below...

Bath, UK meeting - March 2022

*Numbers in brackets give approximate times in the presentation where that specific topic is discussed.

Overview
  1. Dr Sadaf Haque GP and Cancer lead for Gloucestershire - GIST Cancer UK's Introducing the educational video for GP's and Primary Care Clinicians: "Diagnosing GIST". This has been designed to raise awareness and a better understanding of the possible presentation of GIST amongst GPs.
  2. Professor Andy Hall, engaged with our audience to give an illuminating presentation on "Patient driven research".
  3. Dr Ramesh Bulusu and Laura Ferro Lopez discussed "Generic Imatinib - Facts & Myths"
  4. Imatinib Facts & Myths – Questions & Answers
  5. Jayne Bressington GCUK Vice Chair & Patient Director PAWS-GIST presented an Update of GCUK activities since October 2021.

1.) Dr Sadaf Haque GP and Cancer lead for Gloucestershire - GIST Cancer UK's Introducing the educational video for GP's and Primary Care Clinicians: "Diagnosing GIST". This has been designed to raise awareness and a better understanding of the possible presentation of GIST amongst GPs.

Introduction to putting the resource together (0:00).  The video and introduction to GISTs (8:00).  Symptoms and diagnosis (10:05).  Role of Specialist Centres (12:35).  Possible treatments including imatinib (16:45).  Prognosis for those with GISTs (18:15).  Quality of life post diagnosis (19:30).  Side-effects of surgery and treatment (22:30).  Indicators of the likelihood of return (26:45).  Monitoring of GIST patients by GPs (27:50).  Involvement in trials (29:00).

2.) Professor Andy Hall,  Chief Scientific Officer & Founding Director of RareCan - "Patient driven research".

3.) Dr Ramesh Bulusu Consultant Oncologist and Laura Ferro Lopez Sarcoma Specialist Pharmacist.  "Generic Imatinib - Facts & Myths"

4.) Imatinib Facts & Myths – Questions & Answers

Liverpool, UK meeting - October 2022

*Numbers in brackets give approximate times in the presentation where that specific topic is discussed.

Overview
  1. Dr Nasim Ali - Managing GISTs
  2. Fiona McRonald - Molecular Testing in GISTS
  3. Jim Watson - Managing relationships: A patient's perspective
  4. Nic Puntis - Q&A Session

1.) Dr Nasim Ali - Managing GISTs

What is a GIST and how is it treated? (0:52). Why go to a specialist centre? (03:15).  Risk of recurrence: size, mitotic count, location (04:45). Metastasis and treatment where surgery is difficult (7:38).  Imatinib: how it works and side-effects (09:45).  Sunitinib (15:30).  Regorafinib (16:45).  Repretinib (17:30).  Avapritinib (16:45). Other therapies (20:30).  Neoadjuvant treatment (23:20).  Risk of progressive disease (25:00).  Why specialist teams are important (25:40).  PAWS-GIST – SIRT treatment (30:00).

2.) Fiona McRonald - Molecular Testing in GISTS

Importance of molecular data.  National Cancer Registry and what it does (01:00).  Incidence of GISTS (3:25). Cells and Genes (5:11). The Human Genome and variations in DNA and cell type (7:35).  Why do some cells become cancerous?  advantageous and disadvantageous mutations (11:54).  Treating cancer (15:40). KIT mutations (17:15).  GIST molecular testing (21:10).  Mutational variations (27:00)

3.) Jim Watson - Managing relationships: A patient's perspective

4.) Nic Puntis - Q&A Session