Molecular Tailored Therapeutic Options for Advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs): Current Practice and Future Perspectives

SIMPLE SUMMARY: GISTs are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. This review provides an accurate and in-depth rundown on the molecular pathways that characterize gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), together with the state of the art and future perspectives of the tailored treatment strategies studied and under investigation for this disease. The first part of this review may be a useful tool for all clinicians facing this disease in their daily clinical practice. In addition, the last chapters explore new treatment options, demonstrating encouraging preliminary results that may become the standard of care in the future. ABSTRACT: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are one of the most common mesenchymal tumors characterized by different molecular alterations that lead to specific clinical presentations and behaviors. In the last twenty years, thanks to the discovery of these mutations, several new treatment options have emerged. This review provides an extensive overview of GISTs’ molecular pathways and their respective tailored therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, current treatment strategies under investigation and future perspectives are analyzed and discussed.