title: Primary gastric tumors in infants and children: 15 cases of 20-year report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary gastric tumors in infants and children are rare, and their diagnosis and treatment have not been standardized to date. The objective of the present retrospective study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of these tumors and explore possible improvements in their diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 15 children with a diagnosis of primary gastric tumor confirmed by pathology. Clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and treatment were analyzed retrospectively, and postoperative conditions were assessed in follow-up evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were nine boys and six girls aged 8 months to 13 years. The main presenting symptoms were abdominal pain, melena, fever of undetermined origin and pallor. Children were assessed by ultrasound, CT and upper gastrointestinal barium meal or gastroscopy and showed abdominal blockage or polypoid space-occupying lesions. All patients underwent surgery as initial treatment, and four patients received postoperative chemotherapy. During the follow-up period from 3 to 92 months, four cases were lost, one patient died of metastatic disease, two patients showed recurrence, and the remaining patients were alive without recurrence or progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Owing to the atypical and often asymptomatic presentation of primary gastric tumors, careful evaluation using imaging modalities is critical in suspicious cases. Most primary gastric tumors in infants and children are benign or borderline. The prognosis, except in gastric carcinoma, is excellent with close follow-up when complete resection is achieved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Wanyuan Road 399, Minhang District, Shanghai, China.|Department of Pediatrics Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Wanyuan Road 399, Minhang District, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xian Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Wanyuan Road 399, Minhang District, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Kui Ran
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Wanyuan Road 399, Minhang District, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Wanyuan Road 399, Minhang District, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yang Yang
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Wanyuan Road 399, Minhang District, Shanghai, China. likai2727@163.com.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Child; Diagnosis; Stomach neoplasm; Treatment