Clinicopathological study of 113 gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract. A retrospective study was done to evaluate the clinical and pathological features and the effect of adjuvant treatment with imatinib.

Method: The case records of 113 GIST patients were retrospectively reviewed and the clinicopathological features, treatments, and outcomes were recorded.

Results: There were 82 males and 31 females, with a median age of 51 years. All patients were symptomatic (mean duration 4 months) and abdominal pain was the most common symptom. The primary sites of GIST were small intestine (38), stomach (36), and others (39). The tumor diameter on imaging varied from 1 to 26 (mean 10.9) cm. Thirty percent of patients presented with metastasis. There was no association between tumor size and presence of metastasis (p = 0.9). Most common histology was spindle cell morphology followed by mixed spindle cell and epithelioid morphology. Seventy percent patients had high risk (HR) category as per Fletcher risk score. Fifty-three percent had curative resection, after which 34 % had adjuvant imatinib therapy. Recurrence rates were significantly lower in patients receiving adjuvant imatinib therapy (p = 0.003). No statistically significant association was noted between HR Fletcher score, Mib score >10, tumor size >10 cm, and the risk of recurrence (p = 0.29, 0.07, and 0.87, respectively). Liver was the most common site of metastasis. Side effects were tolerable and edema and fluid retention were the commonest.

Conclusion: Sites of GIST in Indian patients were different from those in western studies. Adjuvant imatinib therapy significantly reduced the risk of recurrence.