ASTROINTESTINAL STROMAL tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are usually found in the stomach or the small intestine but can occur at any site along the gastrointestinal tract and rarely elsewhere within the abdominal cavity. 1 The median age at presentation is 60 to 65 years, and the annual incidence approximately 10 cases per million. 2-4 Most GISTs (75% to 80%) harbor an activating mutation in the KIT oncogene and 5% to 10% in platelet-derived growth factor receptor-␣ (PDGFRA), which are important for tumor molecular pathogenesis. 5 The ma-For editorial comment see p 1312.
GISTs with an identical KIT or PDGFRA mutation may have widely varying risks for recurrence. Most of the patients with PDGFRA mutations and those with KIT exon 11 duplication mutation or deletion of one codon have favorable RFS with surgery alone and are usually not candidates for adjuvant therapy.
Rectocele is one cause of constipation that can be treated with good results. Preoperative use of vaginal digitalization is not mandatory for a good postoperative result. Defecography is an important complement to physical examination. Patients with pathologic transit study might have a less favorable outcome of rectocele repair with respect to constipation. More studies about the significance of paradoxic sphincter reaction in these patients are indicated.
Three years of adjuvant imatinib therapy results in longer survival than 1 year of imatinib. High 5-year survival rates are achievable in patient populations with high-risk GIST.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.