Surgical management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the stomach.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare tumors of the GI tract with varying degree of dignity and prognosis. Intramural or extragastral growth of gastric GISTs is associated with diagnostic difficulties and uncertainty about the type and extent of surgical therapy. Based on our experience, we tried to formulate management guidelines for gastric GISTs.

METHODS: Five patients with gastric GIST (36-85 years old) underwent subserosal excision with subsequent B-II resection (1x), full-thickness partial gastric resection (2x), gastrotomy with submucosal excision (1x), or gastrectomy for carcinoma with an incidental finding of a leiomyoma (1x).

RESULTS: Tumor size ranged from 2x2x1 cm to 9x6x4 cm. These tumors were classified as epithelioid leiomyosarcoma (1x), GIST (3x), or leiomyoma (1x). The prognosis of risk ranged from no risk (leiomyoma) to low-malignancy (leiomyosarcoma) depending on tumor size and mitotic index. No recurrent disease has been noted so far during follow-up ranging from 3 months to 6 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Staging of gastric disease should include the probability of gastric GIST. Surgical resection is the therapy of choice for potential malignant GISTs to ensure a local radical removal. Metachronic metastases should be resected if possible. Depending on tumor stage and prognostic parameters, an individual follow-up with endoscopic and radiologic examinations is recommended. Further studies should be undertaken to elaborate prognostic determinants and stage-adapted treatment.