title: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor: role of interventional radiology in diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. The interventional radiologist plays an important role in the diagnosis and locoregional therapy for metastatic GISTs. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a potentially curative option for patients exhibiting partial response to imatinib with focal residual disease. RFA can also be used for local control of focal hepatic or peritoneal metastasis. Hepatic embolization or chemoembolization is reserved for the treatment of progressive liver disease in imatinib-resistant patients who are not suitable for sunitinib as a second-line therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 325, Houston, TX 77030, USA. rony.avritscher@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Avritscher
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000379:methods*