Gastric inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: a case report

BackgroundInflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) of the stomach is an uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm. We present a case of gastric submucosal tumor (SMT) where the final diagnosis was IMT.Case presentationA 69-year-old man presented with a 24-mm SMT on the posterior wall of the middle third of the stomach that was detected by screening upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed that the tumor was well-enhanced. Although endoscopic ultrasonography-guided biopsy was performed, the histological diagnosis was not confirmed preoperatively. Since the tumor was clinically suspected to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, we performed gastric wedge resection by laparoscopic-endoscopic cooperative surgery. Pathologically, proliferative spindle cells with a positive reaction for smooth muscle actin, negativity for c-kit, desmin, s-100, CD34, STAT-6, beta-catenin and anaplastic lymphoma kinase 1 were identified. Hence, the tumor was finally diagnosed as an IMT originating from the stomach.ConclusionsWhen an SMT of the stomach is identified, the possibility of gastric IMT should be considered.