title: Necessity for resection of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors ≤ 20 mm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether surgical intervention was useful in patients undergoing surgery for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), for tumors ≤ 20 mm in size.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 2002 and July 2014, 138 patients with GIST underwent surgery at our Hospital, including 112 patients with gastric GISTs. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative recurrence was observed in three patients, each having tumors with high mitotic rates and ≥ 21 mm in size. In 89 patients undergoing gastric wedge resection, the incidence of postoperative complications was 10.1%; 5.6% of the patients developed late sequelae, all of which were mild. The group classified as having tumors ≥ 21 mm in size had a higher proportion of elderly patients (p=0.0010), more complications (p=0.0152), and longer hospital stay (p=0.0589).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To prevent recurrence, definitive diagnosis and aggressive resection while the tumor size is 20 mm or less is recommended. However, because some patients also carry surgical risks, sufficient consideration must be given to the needs of individual patients.
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan tkogah1@aih-net.com.
authors: Tadashi
authors: T
authors: Koga
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Yoshie
authors: Y
authors: Hirayama
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Syohei
authors: S
authors: Yoshiya
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Taketani
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Tomonori
authors: T
authors: Nakanoko
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Rintaro
authors: R
authors: Yoshida
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Ryosuke
authors: R
authors: Minagawa
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Masanori
authors: M
authors: Kai
authors: Department of Surgery, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Kajiyama
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Iizuka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Kazuya
authors: K
authors: Akahoshi
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Yoshihiko
authors: Y
authors: Maehara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor; postoperative sequelae; tumor size