Histomorphological spectrum of gastrointestinal stromal tumors: an institutional experience

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the abdominal area. They can involve any portion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, omentum, mesentery, retroperitoneum, and other sites. They form 1-2% of the histologic types of gastrointestinal tract tumors. Aims and objectives were to analyze and correlate morphological, clinical and histomorphology features of gastrointestinal tumors presenting at different sites.Methods: This was a retrospective observational study for six years. Medical records of the histopathologically diagnosed GIST cases were reviewed for patient demographics and clinical presentation, and tumor findings were noted.Results: Of the 28 patients, ages ranged from 28 to 80 years. Symptoms ranged from abdominal pain, epigastric discomfort, mass, upper/lower gastrointestinal bleeding, rectal bleeding, anemia, weight loss, and small bowel obstruction. Sites involved were the small bowel, stomach, mesentery, rectum, duodenum, greater omentum, and retroperitoneum. Of 28 cases of GIST, 25 cases showed both c-KIT and DOG-1 positivity, 1 case showed only c-KIT positivity, 1 case showed only DOG-1 positivity, and 1 case was both c-KIT and DOG-1 negative.Conclusions: GISTS are unpredictable mesenchymal tumors. Common sites are the stomach and small gut. Mesenteric and omental GIST are rare. Spindle cell morphology was more commonly present.