Learn about the risk factors for gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Learn more about the risk factors for gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
The only known risk factors for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) − older age and certain rare, inherited genetic syndromes – cannot be changed. There are no known lifestyle-related or environmental causes of GISTs, so at this time we do not know of any way to protect against these cancers.