Gastrointestinal stromal tumor: analysis of outcome and correlation with c-kit status in Indian population.

AIMS: The aim of the present study is to analyse the outcome and genotypic pattern of metastatic GIST patients which is largely unknown in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a retrospective analysis of 24 patients of metastatic GIST. The case records were analysed for clinical profile, treatment response and prognostic factors. The archival samples were retrieved for c-kit mutation analysis in all but 5 patients for mutation analysis. RESULTS: The median age of the study population was 56 years. At a median follow up of 29 months, the PFS was 45% at 2 years. Activating c-kit mutations were detected in 10 cases (52.6%). 80% of the mutations were located in Exon 11. CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of metastatic GIST patients has definitely improved from a virtually incurable state to a disease where median OS has reached 60 months. The genotype of Indian patients with GIST may be different from the western population which needs to be confirmed in a larger study.