A rare case of giant gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach involving the serosal surface

• Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most frequent mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.
• GISTs >10 cm in diameter are referred to as giant GISTs.
• Giant GISTs of this size and weight have been rarely reported in the literature.
• The treatment of choice for giant GIST is complete surgical resection.

IntroductionAlthough rare, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal tumors affecting the gastrointestinal tract.Presentation of caseHere we report the case of a 43-year-old man complaining of abdominal pain along with a painless and palpable mass, which was confirmed on magnetic resonance and multislice computed tomography. Laparotomy revealed a nodular grayish-white firm noninfiltrative mass (39 × 27 × 14 cm, 6109 g) that was well localized within the extramuscular and peritoneal surface of the anterior wall of the stomach; complete tumor resection was performed. Histopathological examination revealed features typical of GIST, including increased cellularity, increased mitotic activity, and spindle shaped cells as well as positive immunoreactivity for KIT, CD34, and vimentin.DiscussionA review of literature revealed that GISTs of the size and weight similar to the present case has been rarely reported. GIST most frequently involves the stomach. Although the etiopathogenesis of this disease remains unclear, few well-documented familial cases have been associated with GIST syndromes.ConclusionThe primary treatment preferred is complete surgical excision of the tumor.