title: [Prognostic factors in gastrointestinal stromal tumors among a group of Mexican patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are uncommon and their prognostic factors remain controversial. The objective of this study was to analyze the clinical and pathological characteristics as well as the prognostic factors of GIST in a sample of Mexican patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted with a diagnosis of GIST to a reference center in Mexico between 1997-2007. We analyzed demographic, clinical and histopathological factors of GIST and constructed Kaplan-Meier survival curves which were compared using the log-rank test. Multivari ate analysis was performed using the Cox regression test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-two patients were included. The most common tumor site was the small bowel (46.8%). Median tumor size was 7.5 cm. The c-kit and p53 immunoanalysis were positive in 92% and 32.3% of cases, respectively. With a median follow-up of 37 months, the 5 year overall survival and disease free survival were 76.05% and 59%, respectively. By univariate analysis, favourable prognostic factors included being female, a low mitotic rate, tumour size < 10 cm absence of tumour necrosis and negative immunoreactivity for p53; however, only the latter remained significant in the multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P53 is the strongest prognostic factor independently from mitotic rate or tumour size.
authors.affiliation: Dirección de Cirugía, Sección de Cirugía Oncológica, Institute Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición SalvadorZubirán, México D.F., México. herimd@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Heriberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Medina-Franco
authors.forename: Juan Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Jiménez
authors.forename: Jorge Zerón
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Medina-Cuairán
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult