Abstract

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and are thought to develop from the smooth muscle pacemaker interstitial cells of Cajal, innervated cells associated with the Auerbach plexus. They are defined as tumors whose behavior is driven by mutations in the KIT gene (CD117). KIT (CD117) in the tumor cells, as these activating KIT mutations are seen in 85-95% of GISTs. 95% of GISTs stain positively for KIT (CD117). They are tumors of connective tissue, i.e. sarcomas; unlike most gastrointestinal tumors, they are nonepithelial. About 70% occur in the stomach, 20% in the small intestine and less than 10% in the esophagus. Small tumors are generally benign, especially when cell division rate is slow, but large tumors disseminate to the liver, omentum and peritoneal cavity. They rarely occur in other abdominal organs. We report a case of gastric stromal tumor which was reveled by upper GI bleeding in a young woman.

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