- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is an uncommon mesenchymal tumor that originates from interstitial cells of Cajal in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Risk factors include sporadic occurrence, familial syndromes associated with mutations in cKIT or PDGFRA genes, and tumor syndromes like Carney triad.
- Diagnosis is based on immunohistochemistry showing CD117 positivity and molecular testing for mutations.
- Complete surgical resection is the main treatment, with adjuvant imatinib to prevent recurrence in high risk cases. Imatinib or other tyrosine kinase inhibitors are given for advanced or recurrent disease.
- Prognosis depends on tumor size,