title: [Gastrointestinal stromal tumors].
abstract: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) account for 1% of all gastrointestinal neoplasms and are the most common mesenchymal tumor of gastrointestinal tract. There are considered to originate fom the intestinal cell of Cajal, an intestinal pacemaker cell, characterized usually express the KIT protein on immunohistochemistry. The stomach (40-60%) and small intestine (30-40%) are the most common locations. Diagnosis of these tumors is difficult to establish, because symptoms are vague and traditional diagnostic tests are not specific. GISTs shows a wide variety of clinical behaviours ranging fom benign to frankly malignant, making the outcome totally unpredictable. Surgery is the standard treatment of local GIST while Imatinib (tyrosine kinasi inhibitor) is considered as the standard treatment of metastatic disease. Resistence to Imatinib is also becoming a major clinical problem but new tirosyne kinase inibitor are being studied to improve the treatment and survival. The present paper is a review of the salient features of epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, therapy and prognostic factors of GIST
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Oncologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Centro di Ricerca e Formazione ad Alta Tecnologia nelle Scienze Biomediche Giovanni Paolo II, Campobasso. marco.pericoliridolfini@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Marco Pericoli
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ridolfini
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rotondi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cusumano
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacelli
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Doglietto
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D018450:Disease Progression; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D000077210:Sunitinib; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D007211:Indoles; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011758:Pyrroles; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D000077210:Sunitinib