title: Surgical resection should be taken into consideration for the treatment of small gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends conservative follow-up for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) less than 2 cm. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical and pathological features of small gastric GISTs, re-evaluate the risk potential, and discuss the treatment strategy of small gastric GISTs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, 63 cases of small gastric GISTs (less than 2 cm) were resected surgically from May 2010 to March 2013 in our department. Clinicopathological factors were collected and the malignant potential of small gastric GISTs was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mitotic index of 14 out of 63 cases (22.22%) exceeded 5. The malignant potential of small gastric GISTs was related to tumor location (P = 0.0218). The mitotic index of 4 out of 8 GISTs (50%) located in gastric cardia exceeded 5, 8 out 28 GISTs (28.57%) located in the gastric fundus exceeded 5, and only 2 out of 27 GISTs (7.41%) located in the gastric body exceeded 5. We also discovered a good consistency between mitotic index and Ki-67 expression of small gastric GISTs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastric GISTs less than 2 cm also have malignant potential. Thus, we recommended surgical resection of all small gastric GISTs once diagnosed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, the Fourth Military Medical University, 127 West Changle Road, 710032, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. zhanghwfmmu@126.com.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Mengbin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit