Surgical Treatment of Gastric GIST: Feasibility of Laparoscopic Resection and Postoperative Outcome

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical manifestations and the possibility of laparoscopic treatment of large gastric stromal tumors. Study Design: A case-series. Place and Duration of the Study: Ist Surgical Unit, Saint Spiridon Hospital Iasi and the Ist Oncological Surgical Unit, Regional Institute of Oncology Iasi, Romania, from May 2012 to May 2017. Methodology: Patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) who underwent surgery were selected. The clinical manifestations, type of surgical treatment, postoperative assessment of the risk factors, and follow-up for at least two years were analysed. Tumors longer than 5 cm were classified as large tumors. Results: Forty-eight patients with GIST were seen, of which 25 (52.08%) had gastric tumor. Nine laparoscopic resections and 16 open interventions were performed on tumors up to 10 cm in size. The histopathological examination revealed 10 patients (40%) as class risk 3a / 3b. Complications were more frequent in open surgery, with an overall rate of 43.75% (7 patients) vs. 33.33% (3 patients) in laparoscopic surgery. Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgical procedures performed in experienced centres can also be applied to gastric tumors over 5 cm in well-selected cases without repercussions on survival. Key Words: Laparoscopy, Gastrointestinal stromal tumor, Gastric, Resection.