The effect of surgery and grade on outcome of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
OBJECTIVE
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are aggressive, rare, and difficult-to-cure gastrointestinal tumors. We believe that the clinical behavior of these tumors can be predicted by reproducible prognostic factors.


METHODS
A retrospective review of all patients (N = 70) with GIST treated at a tertiary care center from 1973 to 1998.


METHODS
Adequate data for evaluation were available for 69 patients. Male-female distribution was 40:29. Median age was 60 years. Median follow-up duration was 38 months.


METHODS
Tumor grade, stage, and histologic subtype at presentation; effect of grade, surgery and adjuvant therapy on recurrence, salvage, and survival.


RESULTS
Tumor distribution included 61% in the upper, 23% in the middle, and 16% in the lower digestive tract, with a median tumor size of 7.9 cm (range, 1.8-25 cm). Tumors with more than 1 mitosis per 10 high-power fields constituted 57% of neoplasia in the series. Distant disease at initial visit occurred in 49% of patients. Complete gross resection occurred in 59% of patients. After complete resection, the 5-year survival rate was 42%, compared with 9% after incomplete resection (hazard ratio = 0.27, P<.001). Neither radiation nor chemotherapy demonstrated any significant benefit. Among 39 patients who were disease free after complete resection, 2% developed lymph node recurrence, 25% developed local recurrence, and 33% developed distant recurrences (54% liver, 20% peritoneum). By multivariate analysis the risk of local and/or distant metastases was significantly increased for tumors with more than 1 mitosis and size larger than 5 cm (P<.05). Multivariate analysis in all 69 patients revealed that incomplete resection, age greater than 50 years, non-smooth muscle histological feature, tumor with more than 1 mitosis, and tumor size larger than 5 cm significantly decreased survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Complete gross surgical resection is presently the only means of cure for GIST. Tumors with more than 1 mitosis and a size larger than 5 cm have an especially poor prognosis, with decreased survival, and increased local and/or distant recurrence.
Pierie
J P
JP
Division of Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Choudry
U
U
Muzikansky
A
A
Yeap
B Y
BY
Souba
W W
WW
Ott
M J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis