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Gastrointestinal stromal tumours: an actualized overview

Abstract:

The gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GISTs), the most common mesenchymal neoplasm in the gastrointestinal tract, has been the subject of great interest in recent years in terms of prognosis, diagnosis and treatment. Its etiology is linked to the mutation of c-KIT and PDGFRA genes, although between 5 and 15% show no signs of such mutations. It is still diagnosed using immunohistochemical staining. The first line of treatment continues to be surgery, although advances in the molecular biology of GISTs are facilitating the development of new treatment strategies. Those that act by regulating tyrosine kinase activity are of particular interest. Drugs such as imatinib and sunitinib have improved the prognosis of these patients, although the development of resistance constitutes one of the main limitations of the treatment. The aim of this review is to present an up-to-date overview of the main etiopathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of these tumours.