Radiotherapy in the treament of gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Abstract

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are uncommon mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Up to one-third of GISTs are malignant with a high rate of metastasis. Surgical resection is the mainstay of care for patients with resectable disease. Imatinib mesylate, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the current standard of care for GISTs that cannot be completely resected or in cases of metastatic GIST. Although often overlooked, radiation therapy is a viable option for select patients with GIST. We report the case of a patient with unresectable GIST who was treated with local radiotherapy and achieved longterm response. We also present a review of the literature regarding the use of radiotherapy in the treatment of GIST. GIST has been shown to be a radiosensitive tumor. Radiotherapy can offer long-term local control and should be considered in the adjuvant or palliative setting. The role of radiotherapy delivered concurrently with imatinib in the treatment of GIST may warrant further investigation.

Keywords

• gastrointestinal stromal tumor, GIST, radiotherapy, radiation therapy