title: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs): A descriptive study on 29 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract, originating from Cajal cells in different sites of the digestive tract. The aim of the study is to report on epidemiological, clinical, histological, and therapeutic characteristics of GISTs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective descriptive study of 29 cases of GIST in gastroenterology and general surgery departments of Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital (Nabeul, Tunisia) was conducted from January 2005 to March 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 29 patients, there were 18 males (62%) and 11 females (38%) with a median age of 63 years (range, 30-96years). The main symptoms were abdominal pain (40%) and weight loss (28%). The tumour was revealed by a complication in 5 cases (17%). Six patients (20.7%) had metastatic lesions. The most common sites were the stomach (41.4%) and the small intestine (17.3%). The median tumour size was 9.5cm (range, 1-30cm). Spindle cell tumours were the main histological type (62%). KIT was positive in the majority of cases (75%). Twenty-one patients with primary disease (72%) underwent a surgical resection. Imatinib was prescribed in 7 patients (24%). Sunitinib malate was indicated in 3 patients who had tumour progression under imatinib. Median survival was 17 months (range, 1-69months). Ten patients died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The management of GISTs has considerably evolved during the last years. Surgical resection, which remains the mainstay of treatment, was indicated in the majority of patients. Imatinib treatment has not improved overall survival in metastatic and/or inoperable cases.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia. Electronic address: lamine015@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Lamine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hamzaoui
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medhioub
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouassida
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Moufida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Souhaiel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El Bouchtili
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Heykal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ezzine
authors.affiliation: Histopathology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Emna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chelbi
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Touinsi
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Mousadek
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Azouz
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007421:Intestine, Small; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000077210:Sunitinib; D015996:Survival Rate; D047368:Tumor Burden; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D011758:Pyrroles; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D000077210:Sunitinib
keywords: GIST; Imatinib; Surgery; Survival