Malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the tongue: case report and review of the literature

A case of malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the tongue is reported. The patient was a 60-year-old woman. She underwent extended hemiglossectomy, neck dissection and reconstruction of the defect with radial forearm microvascular free flap. Etiology, histopathology, differential diagnosis, clinical presentation, and treatment of GISTs are discussed. The absence of any previous report in the English-language literature about the occurrence of GIST in the tongue is emphasized.