Gastric stromal tumors: clinical presentation and surgical options.

Stromal tumors represent 1-3% of all primary gastric neo-plasms. These tumors can occur at any age and display different clinical manifestations, but they rarely reach over 10 cm in size. Currently they are designed as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) but their classification is still controversial. Surgery is the treatment of choice, and the extension of surgical resection depends on the tumor size, neoplastic involvement of adjacent organs , and the presence of metastatic disease. In selected cases minimally invasive surgery can provide excellent results. We present four new patients with GIST who exemplify the different clinical forms of presentations of GISTs and their diverse treatment options. Pardo Martínez C, Mayol Martínez J, Hernández Pérez C, Ál-varez Fernández-Represa J. Gastric stromal tumors: clinical presentation and surgical options. Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2004; 96: 578-583.