title: Surgical treatment and prognostic analysis for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the small intestine: before the era of imatinib mesylate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), the most common type of mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, demonstrate positive kit staining. We report our surgical experience with 100 small intestine GIST patients and identify predictors for long-term disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) to clarify the difference between high- and low-risk patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinicopathologic and follow-up records of 100 small intestine GIST patients who were treated at Chung Gung Memorial Hospital between 1983 and 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and pathological factors were assessed for long-term DFS and OS by using a univariate log-rank test and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients included 52 men and 48 women. Their ages ranged from 27 to 82 years. Among the 85 patients who underwent curative resection, 44 (51.8%) developed disease recurrence (liver metastasis was the most common form of recurrence). The follow-up period ranged from 5 to 202 months (median: 33.2 months). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS and OS rates were 85.2%, 53.8%, and 43.7%, and 91.5%, 66.6%, and 50.5%, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, it was found that high tumor cellularity, mitotic count >5/50 high-power field, and a Ki-67 index > or =10% were three independent factors that were inversely associated with DFS. However, absence of tumor perforation, mitotic count < 5/50 high power field, and tumor with low cellularity were predictors of long-term favorable OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tumors with low cellularity, low mitotic count, and low Ki-67 index, which indicate low risk, predict a more favorable DFS for small intestine GIST patients undergoing curative resection. Absence of tumor perforation with low mitotic count and low cellularity, which indicates low risk, can predict long-term OS for small intestine GIST patients who have undergone curative resection.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. ycn@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Ting-Jung
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Li-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chun-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Pei-Yu
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tzu-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Tsann-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Yi-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Miin-Fu
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000639:trends; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000601:surgery*; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008938:Mitosis; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate