Surgical Resection of Esophageal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Background. Due to the rarity of esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), their clinical course and treatment are poorly understood. We have assessed our experience in the diagnosis and management of esophageal GISTs. Methods. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with esophageal GISTs who underwent surgical resection. Results. We identified 7 patients (6 males and 1 female) who underwent surgical procedures due to esophageal GISTs between 2001 and 2003; their median age was 46 years (range, 39 to 68 years). Four patients presented with dysphagia. Two patients were diagnosed with GIST by endoscopic biopsy before surgery. Five patients underwent enucleation, and two underwent esophagectomy. All tumors were resected completely and no patient received perioperative imatinib therapy. Median postoperative follow-up was 4.4 years (range, 2.2 to 7.0 years), during which two patients were diagnosed with recurrences. Conclusions. Esophageal GIST is a rare disease, and complete surgical resection is the standard treatment. Regular follow-up is needed even if resection is complete and negative margins are achieved.