RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to determine among gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors treated surgically in our unit which were gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and to describe their characteristic features and prognostic factors. METHODS: A second histological and immunohistochemical reading was performed for 56 gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors, treated surgically in the Reims University Hospital between 1990 and 2005 in order to determine which ones were GISTs. A statistical descriptive and analytical analysis of the demographic, pathological, therapeutic and prognostic factors was performed. RESULTS: Eighty-seven percent of the tumors were GISTs. The 5-year specific survival rate was 66.8%. The factors of good prognosis were small tumor size, low mitotic count, complete primary tumor resection without tumor effraction, age less than 60 years, absence of mucosal necrosis, ulceration, and invasion. Type of surgical resection had no impact in terms of survival. CONCLUSION: GISTs are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive tract. Even thought treatment with imatinib is currently available, surgery (preferably total resection without effraction) is the mainstay treatment for GISTs.