title: Clinicopathological characteristic and clinical handling of the patients with 2 cm or less gastric GISTs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We previously reported that safety and efficacy of mucosal cutting biopsy for diagnosing included 2 cm or less gastric GISTs. However, there have been no reports stating the clinicopathological characteristic and clinical handling of the patients with 2 cm or less gastric GISTs. The aim of our study is to investigate the clinicopathological characteristic and clinical handling of the patients with 2 cm or less gastric GISTs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 19 patients diagnosed with GIST by mucosal cutting biopsy were divided into 2 groups: Group I; subjects were GISTs with 2 cm or less, Group II; subjects were GISTs >2 cm. We compared the 2 groups in terms of mean age, tumor size, tumor site, histopathological risk grade. In cases that underwent surgery with a diagnosis of GIST, we compared the pre- and postoperative histopathological diagnosis, and the histopathlogical risk grade within each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age and tumor size were significantly higher in Group I than in Group II. Meanwhile, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups, sex ratio, tumor site. All lesions were at histopathological risk grade at very low risk and low risk respectively. In 17 patients with GIST who underwent surgery, the histopathological diagnoses, immunostaining were in agreement with those from the mucosal cutting biopsy specimens in all cases, but mitotic count of one patient was not in agreement in group II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2 cm or less gastric GISTs diagnosed with histpathlogical very low risk can be considered acceptable to follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, International University Of Health and Welfare Mita Hospital, 1-4-3 Mita, Minatoku, Tokyo, 108-8329 Japan.
authors.forename: Mikinori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikemiyagi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuzawa
authors.forename: Masakatsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuzawa
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitajima
keywords: Endoscopic mucosal cutting biopsy; Gastrointestinal stromal tumors; Submucosal tumors