title: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the posterior mediastinum.
abstract: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare, but potentially aggressive tumor. We present an asymptomatic 64-year-old man with an incidental 9-cm GIST that arose in the posterior mediastinum. Wide surgical excision was performed with rotation of an intercostal muscle flap to buttress a surgically created esophageal wall defect. The patient is now free of disease 26 months postoperative. This tumor is defined by the carcinogenic over-expression of KIT-protein, a tyrosine kinase receptor. Accurate diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor is imperative, as specific medical therapy is now available for potential control of recurrent or metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA. jlee@mail.mcg.edu
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Anstadt
authors.forename: Shamsuddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khwaja
authors.forename: Linda K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008637:Mesenchymoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology