Just months before graduation, Maia Salti, a UCLA senior expected to be celebrating milestones, not navigating a life-altering diagnosis. During a visit to San Diego, Salti underwent a precautionary full-body MRI scan as part of a proactive health assessment. The scan unexpectedly revealed a large lesion in her stomach.
"They told me if they don't call within 24 hours, it means there's nothing serious," said Salti. "They called me about 16 hours later."
She was young, active, and had no symptoms. But that calm quickly gave way to uncertainty after returning home to Singapore for further evaluation. A specialist suspected a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a rare type of cancer that forms in the digestive tract.
"I thought it was something medically equivalent to a hernia," Salti said. "It wasn't until I searched the internet that I realized it was cancer."
Salti's diagnostic journey spanned three cities and two continents. Additional imaging revealed multiple tumors in her stomach. Early treatment with the targeted drug imatinib, often effective in many GIST patients, did not work.
Doctors ultimately determined Salti had succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-deficient GIST, a subtype that does not respond well to standard therapies and is often managed more like a chronic condition, with a higher risk of recurrence. SDH refers to a key enzyme involved in how cells produce energy; when it is deficient, tumors behave differently and are more challenging to treat.
GIST is the most common type of sarcoma affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Sarcomas are a rare group of cancers that develop in connective tissues such as muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, bone and the supporting tissues of organs. GIST is rare overall, with an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States.
"When I was first diagnosed, one of the hardest parts was the uncertainty," Salti said. "Even getting a clear answer took three clinical opinions."
Seeking specialized cancer care, Salti and her family turned to UC San Diego Health, home to Moores Cancer Center where multidisciplinary teams integrate patient care with leading-edge research and clinical trials, including efforts focused on rare cancers like SDH-deficient GIST.
"GIST is not one disease," said Jason Sicklick, MD, surgical oncologist at UC San Diego Health, member of Moores Cancer Center, and professor of surgery and pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "The most important first step is accurate molecular testing, because the subtype determines prognosis, treatment options and clinical trial opportunities."
After several months of drug therapy recommended based on earlier medical opinions that proved ineffective, Sicklick and the multidisciplinary team at UC San Diego Health recommended surgery.
The extent of the operation remained uncertain until the procedure itself, with the possibility that large portions of the stomach and nearby organs might need to be removed.
"The anticipation was especially heavy," said Salti. "I didn't know what to prepare for."
During her recovery at UC San Diego Health, Salti receives a visit from a volunteer therapy dog. Photo courtesy of the Salti family.
In April 2026, Salti underwent surgery at UC San Diego Health and the outcome exceeded expectations.
"I was so glad that I got to keep most of my stomach, my spleen, and all of my pancreas," Salti said. "Every single nurse and doctor was so kind and caring and always went the extra mile. I truly will never forget that."
She also credits her parents as central to her recovery. Her father coordinated international appointments across institutions, sought multiple opinions and helped arrange for her tumor tissue to be shared for research. Her mother provided constant bedside care, helping her shower, get out of bed and walk, preparing foods she could tolerate and sleeping on the hospital couch.
Throughout treatment, she continued attending UCLA, navigating classes, travel and recovery far from home. The experience brought emotional and physical strain.
"I felt isolated and overworked at times," Salti said.
Yet moments of normalcy, including a spring break trip to Zion, Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon, became a turning point.
"It helped me appreciate what my body is capable of despite everything," said Salti.
Today, her journey is shaping not only personal resilience but also scientific progress. Tissue from the tumor is now contributing to research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center aimed at better understanding SDH-deficient GIST and developing new treatments. Sicklick's team is leading efforts that include patient-derived tumor models, national research collaborations and clinical trials, such as a phase II study evaluating temozolomide and new combination therapies.
"SDH-deficient GIST is challenging because it does not usually respond to standard therapies," Sicklick said. "Our work is focused on understanding the biology and translating those discoveries into new treatment options. Every patient like Maia helps us move the field forward and by studying tumors like hers, we can identify new treatments that may benefit many others facing this rare disease."
For Salti and her family, supporting research became a natural extension of the care they received and a way to help others facing similar uncertainty.
"I was very aware that not everyone with a rare diagnosis has the support that I did," Salti said. "Helping others feels like a way to pay that forward."
While SDH-deficient GIST remains a lifelong condition requiring ongoing monitoring, Salti is focused on recovery, graduation and the future.
"I have a lot of hope — not just for myself, but for where the research is going," she said.
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Cancer Care Surgery Services Rare Cancer
Cancer Care Surgery Services Rare Cancer
