GIST: institutional experience at SRMS-IMS, India

ABSTRACT

Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumors [GIST] is a malignant, non-epithelial, mesenchymal tumor of the digestive tract that is not uncommon in clinical practice nowadays; diagnosis being based upon immuno-histo-chemical analysis of the resected or biopsied [FNAC] specimen. Abdominal lump with or without intra-luminal bleed is a common mode of presentation. Early diagnosis and appropriate management with surgery and/or Imatinib therapy improves recurrence free survival and may impact overall survival. We present here our institutional experience of four patients, admitted in Onco-Surgery Dept., with pain abdomen and upper/lower gastrointestinal bleed, which, on subsequent workup were diagnosed to be cases of GIST, were appropriately managed according to their disease stage and show recurrence-free survival on follow-up