Gastrointestinal stromal tumours: advances in surgical and pharmacological management options

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. The stomach is most commonly affected. Advances in immunopathology have identified a mutation in the c-KIT proto-oncogene, leading to the development of the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor Imatinib as targeted therapy for advanced disease. Surgery, however, remains the only curative treatment of resectable primary GIST. This review article aims at reviewing the management of primary GISTs, investigating recurrences, exploring the role of surgery in metastatic disease and looking into combined surgery and molecular therapy for GISTs.