Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Surgery and Adjuvant Therapy (original) (raw)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and represent 1% to 2% of all gastrointestinal malignancies. They can occur anywhere throughout the gastrointestinal tract and are seen most commonly in the stomach (60%) and small bowel (30%). They constitute 2% of gastric malignancies and 14% of tumors found in the small intestine. Overall, they are rare tumors with an annual incidence of 3000 to 5000 cases per year. The median age at presentation is 60 years with a slight male predominance. The most common symptoms at presentation are bleeding and abdominal pain. Other symptoms include dyspepsia and early satiety. GISTs are commonly found incidentally during radiologic imaging, endoscopy, and surgery.