Simultaneous occurrence of synchronous and metachronous tumors with gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Abstract

Objective: To examine the frequency and clinicopathological features of synchronous and metachronous tumors which occur simultaneously with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

Methods: Clinical and pathologic records of 78 patients diagnosed with primary GIST and treated at our institution between 1997 and 2009 were reviewed.

Results: GIST occurred simultaneously with other primary GI malignancies in 16.1 % (n=13) of all patients with GIST. Of the simultaneous secondary tumors, 69.2 % (n=9) were gastrointestinal tumors, and the remaining were biliary system and breast tumors. GIST most frequently had gastric localization (n=6, 46.1 %).

Conclusion: Although GIST are uncommon neoplasms, their synchronous and metachronous coexistence with other tumors is rather frequent, mostly as incidental tumors accompanying a gastrointestinal neoplasm. Therefore, during surgery on cases with gastrointestinal neoplasms, the surgeon needs to be careful about a synchronous GIST. At the same time, more detailed studies are needed about the carcinogenesis of dual tumors coexisting with GIST (Tab. 1, Ref. 14).