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Clinical Study on Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) in Iceland, 1990–2003

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Abstract

This is a whole population-based study on clinical symptoms, surgical treatment, and outcome of GIST. All mesenchymal tumors in the digestive tract diagnosed from 1990 to 2003 were identified. All reports were reviewed, all tumors were stained with antibodies to c-kit, and the diagnosis of GIST was confirmed. Clinical, pathological, treatment, and outcome data were analyzed. The study included 53 patients with GIST. The mean age at diagnosis was 65.8±13.6 years (SD). Tumor distribution included 62% in the upper, 32% in the middle, and 6% in the lower digestive tract. Mean tumor size was 4.9±4.4 cm (SD). Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was the main symptom in 53% (20/38) of symptomatic cases; most presented with acute gastrointestinal bleeding. Complete surgical resection was performed in 87% (46/53) of patients. Eight of the 53 tumors (15.1%) metastasized, 7 of which were nongastric. The disease-specific death rate at 5 years was 85%, and 5-year survival after complete resection was 64.1%. We conclude that GISTs are often found incidentally but GI bleeding is the most common presentation. Five-year survival is better than previously reported and gastric GIST seems to be more benign than nongastric. GIST seems to metastasize mainly intra-abdominally.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Geir Tryggvason & Jón G. Jónasson

  2. Department of Surgery, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Þórarinn Kristmundsson & Hjörtur G. Gíslason

  3. Department of Hematology, Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Magnús K. Magnússon

  4. Department of Medicine, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland

    Kjartan Örvar

  5. Icelandic Cancer Registry, Icelandic Cancer Society, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Jón G. Jónasson

Authors
  1. Geir Tryggvason
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  2. Þórarinn Kristmundsson
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  3. Kjartan Örvar
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  4. Jón G. Jónasson
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  5. Magnús K. Magnússon
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  6. Hjörtur G. Gíslason
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hjörtur G. Gíslason.

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These authors contributed equally to the study.

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Tryggvason, G., Kristmundsson, Þ., Örvar, K. et al. Clinical Study on Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) in Iceland, 1990–2003. Dig Dis Sci 52, 2249–2253 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9248-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9248-4

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