title: Clinical practice guidelines for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor in Taiwan.
abstract: For many years, the understanding of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), which are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, has been very limited. However, it is now possible to provide a more precise definition through the use of pathology classification and molecular techniques. Coupled with the advancement of clinical practice, especially the development of targeted therapy, there is now a much better insight into its treatment. At present, organizations such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network in the USA and the European Society for Medical Oncology in Europe have established a consensus and drawn up guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of GISTs.With experts coming from various districts in Taiwan and combining the most recent clinical data and experiences, the Taiwan Surgical Society of Gastroenterology drafted the first national GIST treatment guidelines after a consensus meeting in 2007. Following subsequent advances in GIST diagnosis and treatment, further revisions and modifications have been made to the original guidelines. We present here the updated consensus and recommendations of the Taiwan Surgical Society of Gastroenterology for the diagnosis and treatment of GIST. We hope these guidelines can help enhance the quality of diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with GIST in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, #5, Fu-Hsing Street Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Tsann-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ching-Shui
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Po-Huang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chew-Wun
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ker
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen-Guo
authors.forename: Yi-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Miin-Fu
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000592:standards; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System / Q000592:standards*; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology