title: [Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: report of three cases and review of the literature].
abstract: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours are the most common mesenchimal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract. Diagnosis of these tumours is difficult to establish, because symptoms are vague and traditional diagnostic tests are not specific. Natural history remains poorly defined and many criteria have been correlated with prognosis; for instance, some authors have found that GIST localization influences clinical behavior, that has not been confirmed by other authors; actually, tumour size, mitotic rate and complete resection seem to be the main prognostic factors. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice, with little efficacy reported for irradiation, conventional cytotoxic agents or both. Nevertheless, imatinib mesylate has recently demonstrated significant activity and tolerability in the treatment of malignant unresectable or metastatic GIST. Three cases of GIST, complicated by intestinal bleeding and intestinal obstruction respectively, are presented and a review of the literature is made.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Generale, Sezione di Chirurgia Generale ed Oncologica, Università degli Studi di Cantania.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanghì
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strazzanti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benfatto
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Politi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basile
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases