Abstract/Text: As a result of major recent advances in understanding the biology of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), specifically recognition of the central role of activating KIT mutations and associated KIT protein expression in these lesions, and the development of novel and effective therapy for GISTs using the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI-571, these tumors have become the focus of considerable attention by pathologists, clinicians, and patients. Stromal/mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract have long been a source of confusion and controversy with regard to classification, line(s) of differentiation, and prognostication. Characterization of the KIT pathway and its phenotypic implications has helped to resolve some but not all of these issues. Given the now critical role of accurate and reproducible pathologic diagnosis in ensuring appropriate treatment for patients with GIST, the National Institutes of Health convened a GIST workshop in April 2001 with the goal of developing a consensus approach to diagnosis and morphologic prognostication. Key elements of the consensus, as described herein, are the defining role of KIT immunopositivity in diagnosis and a proposed scheme for estimating metastatic risk in these lesions, based on tumor size and mitotic count, recognizing that it is probably unwise to use the definitive term "benign" for any GIST, at least at the present time.

Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Abstract/Text: Gastrointestinal (GI) stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors specific to the GI tract, generally defined as KIT (CD117)-positive tumors with a characteristic set of histologic features. These tumors, derived from Cajal cells or their precursors, most commonly occur at the age >50 years in the stomach (60%), jejunum and ileum (30%), duodenum (4-5%), rectum (4%), colon and appendix (1-2%), and esophagus (<1%), and rarely as apparent primary extragastrointestinal tumors in the vicinity of stomach or intestines. Their overall incidence has been estimated as 10 to 20 per million, including incidental minimal tumors. GISTs are rare in children (<1%) and almost exclusively occur in stomach. They are common in patients with neurofibromatosis 1, who have a predisposition to (multiple) small intestinal GISTs. GISTs contain a spectrum from minute indolent tumors to sarcomas at all sites of occurrence. Their gross patterns are diverse, including nodular, cystic, and diverticular tumors. External involvement of pancreas and liver can simulate primary tumor in these organs. In general, gastric tumors have a more favorable prognosis than the intestinal ones with similar parameters. Gastric GISTs < or =10 cm and < or =5 mitoses per 50 HPFs have a low risk for metastasis, whereas those with >5 per 50 HPFs and >5 cm in diameter have a high risk for metastasis. In contrast, all intestinal GISTs >5 cm independent of mitotic rate have at least moderate risk for metastases, and all >5 mitoses per 50 HPFs have a high risk for metastases. Intestinal GISTs < or =5 cm with < or =5 mitoses per 50 HPFs have a low risk for metastases. Gastric GISTs can be divided into histologic subgroups including 4 spindle cell and 4 epithelioid variants. Intestinal GISTs are a histologically more homogeneous group and often contain distinctive extracellular collagen globules, skeinoid fibers. Immunohistochemical demonstration of KIT, CD34, or protein kinase theta positivity helps to properly identify these tumors.

Abstract/Text: Accurate risk stratification of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has become increasingly important owing to emerging adjuvant systemic treatments. All GISTs have been considered to have some malignant potential, but this hypothesis is now seriously challenged by studies indicating that microscopic gastric GISTs that are common in the general population probably have little or no malignant potential. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus classification system, based on tumor size and mitotic count, is commonly used to assess patient prognosis after surgical resection. Large retrospective cohort studies from several countries now uniformly indicate that the NIH classification carries substantial prognostic value. In particular, patients with high-risk GIST (approximately 44% of all) have substantially poorer outcome than those with intermediate-risk (24%) or low/very low-risk GIST (32%), whose survival is not markedly inferior to that of the general population in some studies. Gastric GISTs (approximately 58% of all GISTs) have a lower risk of recurrence than nongastric tumors of the same size and mitotic count, and tumor rupture confers clearly increased risk. These 2 important risk stratification factors are not considered in the NIH classification. Patients with certain nongastric tumors (2.1-5 cm and > 5 mitoses per 50 high-power fields or 5.1-10 cm and < or = 5 per 50 high-power fields) and those with tumor rupture are proposed to be included in the NIH high-risk category. High-risk patients defined by the proposed modified system have more than 15% to 20% risk of disease recurrence. The proposed system, if validated, may be useful in identifying which patients might potentially benefit from adjuvant therapy.