Just found out my father has a stomach tumor. Can anyone share their previous experiences?

my father was diagnosed with stomach cancer 5 years ago. It is called GIST. The doctors recommended surgery but our family chose to go to mayo clinic. At that time an experimental drug was being used for this cancer and was given to my father. It is called gleevec. (It is now FDA approved). He had 5 tumors, some were the size of a gfruit. They are now almost non existent. No surgery was necessary and was told this form of cancer should not be treated with surgery. I hope this helps.