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Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They are defined here as KIT (CD117, stem cell factor receptor)-positive mesenchymal spindle cell or epithelioid neoplasms primary in the GI tract, omentum, and mesentery. GISTs typically present in older individuals and are most common in the stomach (60-70%), followed by small intestine (20-25%), colon and rectum (5%), and esophagus (<5%). Benign tumors outnumber the malignant ones by a wide margin. Approximately 70% of GISTs are positive for CD34, 20-30% are positive for smooth muscle actin (SMA), 10% are positive for S100 protein and <5% are positive for desmin. The expression of CD34 and SMA is often reciprocal. GISTs commonly have activating mutations in exon 11 (or rarely exon 9 and exon 13) of the KIT gene that encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor for the growth factor named stem cell factor or mast cell growth factor. Ligand-independent activation of KIT appears to be a strong candidate for molecular pathogenesis of GISTs, and it may be a target for future treatment for such tumors. Other genetic changes in GISTs discovered using comparative genomic hybridization include losses in 14q and 22q in both benign and malignant GISTs and occurrence in various gains predominantly in malignant GISTs. GISTs have phenotypic similarities with the interstitial cells of Cajal and, therefore, a histogenetic origin from these cells has been suggested. An alternative possibility, origin of pluripotential stem cells, is also possible; this is supported by the same origin of Cajal cells and smooth muscle and by the common SMA expression in GISTs. GISTs differ clinically and pathogenetically from true leiomyosarcomas (very rare in the GI tract) and leiomyomas. The latter occur in the GI tract, predominantly in the esophagus (intramural tumors) and the colon and rectum (muscularis mucosae tumors). They also differ from schwannomas that are benign S100-positive spindle cell tumors usually presenting in the stomach. GI autonomic nerve tumors (GANTs) are probably a subset of GIST. Other mesenchymal tumors that have to be separated from GISTs include inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in children, desmoid, and dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Angiosarcomas and metastatic melanomas, both of which are often KIT-positive, should not be confused with GISTs.

In this study we analyzed the clinicopathologic features of duodenal smooth muscle or stromal tumors, including 156 GISTs, 6 leiomyomas (LMs), and 5 leiomyosarcomas (LMSs) from the files of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and the Haartman Institute of the University of Helsinki. GISTs were documented as KIT positive (n = 109); 47 tumors were also included because of their histologic identity to KIT-positive cases. GIST-specific c-kit gene mutations were documented in exon 11 in 9 of 30 cases (30%) and exon 9 in 4 of 30 cases (13%). The GISTs occurred in patients with an age range of 10-88 years (median 56 years); 54% were male. Ten patients had neurofibromatosis type I; six of them had multiple GISTs. The GISTs ranged from small asymptomatic intramural or external nodules to large masses that extended into the retroperitoneum (median size 4.5 cm). They were mostly spindle cell tumors; three malignant GISTs had an epithelioid morphology, and 81 cases had skeinoid fibers. The tumors often coexpressed CD34 and KIT (54%) and were variably positive for smooth muscle actin (39%) and S-100 protein (20%) but never for desmin. A total of 86% of patients with tumors >5 cm with >5 mitoses/50 high power fields (HPF) (n = 21) died of disease, whereas no tumor <2 cm with <5 mitoses/50 HPF (n = 12) recurred or caused death. Long latency was common between primary operation and recurrences or metastases; either one occurred in 49 of 140 patients with follow-up (35%). No formula could accurately predict metastases, which occasionally developed even if mitotic activity was <5/50 HPF and size <5 cm. Metastases were in the abdominal cavity, liver, and rarely in bones and lungs but never in lymph nodes. Four actin- and desmin-positive and KIT-negative benign intramural LMs were similar to those more often seen in the esophagus. There were five LMSs, one of which formed a polypoid intraluminal mass; all were actin positive and KIT negative. The great majority of duodenal mesenchymal tumors are GISTs, which have a spectrum from small indolent tumors to overt sarcomas. LMs and LMSs are rare.

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Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), KIT or platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) signaling driven mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI)-tract and abdomen, require a precise diagnosis so that the patients may benefit from the newly introduced tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs. The limitations of the current main tools, KIT immunohistochemistry and KIT/PDGFRA mutation analysis, include lack of KIT expression and mutations in some GISTs. In this study we examined 1168 GISTs of different sites and histologic subtypes, and 672 other tumors and normal tissues for discovered on GIST-1 (DOG1) clone K9, a newly introduced immunohistochemical marker, a chloride channel protein. All GISTs and selected non-GISTs were independently evaluated for KIT. In the GI tract, Cajal cells and gastric surface epithelia were DOG1-positive. The overall sensitivity of DOG1 and KIT in GISTs was nearly identical: 94.4% and 94.7%, and results in GISTs were generally concordant. Gastric spindle cell GISTs was nearly uniformly positive for both markers, whereas DOG1 performed slightly better in gastric epithelioid GISTs that included PDGFRA mutant GISTs. In the intestinal GISTs, KIT was slightly more sensitive than DOG1. Negativity for both DOG1 and KIT was observed in 2.6% of GISTs of GI tract. KIT or PDGFRA mutations were detected in 11/24 DOG1-negative GISTs supporting the diagnosis of GIST. DOG1 expression was also generally present in extragastrointestinal and metastatic GISTs. DOG1 was highly specific for GIST, but exceptional DOG1-positive other mesenchymal tumors included uterine type retroperitoneal leiomyomas, peritoneal leiomyomatosis, and synovial sarcomas (positive in 5/42, 4/17, and 6/37 cases). Leiomyomas colonized by DOG1-positive Cajal cells should not be confused with GISTs. DOG1 positivity was relatively common in esophageal squamous cell and gastric carcinomas, whereas it was rare in colorectal carcinomas. DOG1 should be added into the diagnostic panel evaluating GI and other abdominal tumors, but limitations in its sensitivity and specificity should be recognized.