ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the pathological diagnosis, surgical treatment and prognostic factors of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinicopathological data of operated 96 patients with GISTs were analyzed retrospectively. Expression of CD117, CD34, SMA and S-100 was determined by immunohistochemical methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Expression of CD117, CD34, SMA and S-100 was 79.2% (76/96), 58.3% (56/96), 35.4% (34/96) and 9.4% (9/96). Benign tumor 23 and malignant 73. Of the malignant, the omentum was resected in 39 and the rest remained, of which the recurrent and metastatic rates were 5.1% and 26.5% (P < 0.05). The safety margin between the normal intestine and tumor was > 5 cm in 46 patients; while in the other 27 patients, it was < 5 cm. The recurrent and metastatic rates were 6.5% and 29.6% (P < 0.05), respectively. The 5-year survival rates of benign and malignant GISTs were 91.5% and 57.3% (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The application of immunohistochemical markers CD117 and CD34 are supplementary to pathological diagnosis. The adapting of rational primary treatment, including complete tumor resection and prophylactic omentectomy, is able to reduce the recurrence of GISTs.</p>