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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Gene Signatures in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

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Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) constitute a rare heterogeneous group of the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of gastrointestinal tract (GI). GISTs have emerged during the recent years as a distinct sarcoma entity due to advances in the understanding of molecular mechanism of their pathogenesis. They are believed to originate from precursors shared with interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) – the pacemaker cells of the gut (for which CD117 antigen is the immunohistochemical marker), and they may arise along all GI (most commonly in the stomach or the small bowel) or rarely elsewhere. Their biological behavior is difficult to predict, ranging from clinically benign to malignant. The treatment of choice in primary resectable GISTs is radical surgery, but majority of GISTs are associated with a risk of recurrences. The main criteria of aggressive behavior of GIST are based on the presence of invasion of surrounding structures and/or metastases (overtly malignant cases), as well as on primary tumor site, size, and mitotic index.