Diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor: an analysis of 23 cases

Objective To evaluate the clinical diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Methods The clinical data of patients with GISTs admitted into surgical department from July 2000 to Oct 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. Rusults Twenty-three patients received operation. Twenty-one patients underwent complete tumor resection, two did laparotomy only. Among the patients 7 cases were benign ,6 potential malignant, and 10 malignant . All patients were followed-up from 10 to 72 months. Three of the patients had local recurrence and metastasis, and 5 patients died. Conclusion It was difficult the diagnosis of GISTs because of the lack of clinical feature. Endoscopy and imaging examination are main methods to detect GISTs. Final diagnosis should be based on pathology. Surgical rection is the main treatment. Key words: gastrointestinal stromal tumors;  diagnosis;  operative