title: Treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors--initial experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) offered the first opportunity of a specific treatment in neoplasms (tyrosine-kinase inhibitors) and also a new perspective of management of other neoplasms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have prospectively recorded the clinical characteristics, type of surgery, pathologic findings, adjuvant treatment, and recurrence of the patients with confirmed GISTs admitted between January 2004 and December 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 18 patients. Location of the tumor was gastric (44.44%), duodenal (11.11%), jejunal (16.67%), right colon (5.55%) and rectal (22.22%). None of our patients had clinical, imagistic or macroscopic metastases. All the patients had R0 resections, except a patient with local excision and another with R1 anterior resection for rectal GISTs. Postoperatively, 4 patients received Imatinib therapy. The mean follow-up period is 32 months (range 8-58 months); 2 recurrences, both after rectal GISTs. The rest of patients are tumor-free and subjects of prospective follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present the first 5 years experience of a prospective study of GIST started in 2004. The complete resection and the malignant potential according to Fletcher index are the most significant prognostic factors. Imatinib treatment may improve outcome in incomplete resected or high risk GISTs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, "Gr.T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lupaşcu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andronic
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moldovanu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Târcoveanu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgescu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferariu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; 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