Grand Rounds
Surgical Management of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Heather Townsend, MPAP, PA-C
From Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
Author’s disclosure of conflict of interest is found at the end of this article.
Correspondence to: Heather Townsend, MPAP, PA-C, 1000 Blythe Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203 E-mail: h.drephal@gmail.com
J Adv Pract Oncol 2023;14(6):541–547 |
https://doi.org/10.6004/jadpro.2023.14.6.7 |
© 2023 BroadcastMed LLC
ABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are considered rare, but they are one of the most common malignant mesenchymal tumors within the gastrointestinal tract, affecting 4,000 to 6,000 adults in the United States each year. Because gastrointestinal bleeding is often the initial symptom, a thorough and timely diagnostic workup is imperative to accurately diagnose a potentially deadly tumor. Endoscopic ultrasound is helpful when working through a differential diagnosis of subepithelial lesions and can help identify which mucosal layer the lesion originates from, as well as the density of the lesion; however, surgical resection is the standard of care for the treatment of a resectable nonmetastatic GIST. For recurrent GISTs, metastatic disease, or GISTs not amendable to resection, tyrosine kinase inhibitors are frequently used, with imatinib being used in the first-line setting. A multimodal treatment approach is often necessary to increase the chances of a permanent cure.
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