title: Gastrointestinal stromal sarcomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal stromal sarcomas are a rare group of malignancies originating in the bowel wall.
  
  
  METHODS
  The treatment of 12 patients with gastrointestinal stromal sarcoma who underwent operation between 1994 and 1998 was reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight tumours originated in the stomach; others were in the small bowel or rectum. Five of the tumours were of myogenic origin, two were gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumours, one was a mixed neural-myoid tumour, and four could not be differentiated. Complete resection was possible in ten patients; in two of the ten en bloc resection of adjacent organs was required to ensure adequate margins. The tumours in the remaining two patients were irresectable because of diffuse intra-abdominal metastatic disease. All patients who underwent complete resection were alive after 4-48 (median 14) months. Two of the ten patients developed recurrence, which was reresected completely. The patients with metastatic disease died less than 1 year after operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aggressive surgical resection, achieving complete resection, can lead to prolongation of life and may be a potential cure for patients with gastrointestinal stromal sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery B and C, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lev
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kariv
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Issakov
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merhav
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Merimsky
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Klausner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed