The GIST Group Switzerland, the support group for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), has awarded its science prize for the ninth time. The 2018 GIST prize, worth CHF 10,000, was awarded to Dr. Michael Montemurro for his publication on: „Long-term outcome of dasatinib first-line treatment in GIST: A multicenter two-stage phase II trial SAKK 56/07 (Cancer 2018: 1449-54)". The laudatio was held by Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Urs Metzger, member of the GIST Group Award Committee and medical advisor of the GIST- Group Switzerland. The award ceremony took place on 22 November 2018 at the SAKK semi-annual meeting.

GISTs are very rare cancers of the gastrointestinal tract that are classified as sarcomas, a group of malignant tumors that affect connective tissue, bone and muscle. They occur in 10-15 people per one million of the population per year. SAKK also conducts studies on such rare forms of cancer. 

GIST Group Switzerland

The GIST Group Switzerland is an organization for the support of those affected by gastrointestinal stromal tumors. It supports every effort to improve the treatment of GISTs. To this end, the GIST Group awards an annual prize to organizations or individuals committed to achieving this goal. The prize is awarded for lectures, publications, panel discussions, scientific or socially relevant projects. The award of CHF 10,000 is donated by the GIST Group Switzerland (www.gist.ch, gist@gist.ch)

Further information: Cancer. 2018 Apr 1;124(7):1449-1454. doi: 10.1002/cncr.31234: Long-term outcome of dasatinib first-line treatment in gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A multicenter, 2-stage phase 2 trial (Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research 56/07). Montemurro, Cioffi, Domont, Rutkowski, Roth, von Moos, Inauen, Toulmonde, Burkhard, Knuesli, Bauer, Cassier, Schwarb, Le Cesne, Koeberle, Bärtschi, Dietrich, Biaggi, Prior, Leyvraz