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

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study is to evaluate clinical manifestations and the possibility of laparoscopic treatment of large gastric stromal tumors. STUDY DESIGNA 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. METHODOLOGYPatients 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. RESULTSForty-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. CONCLUSIONSLaparoscopic 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.