OBJECTIVETo analyze the efficacy and prognosis of different treatments on small intestinal gastrointestinal stromal tumors(SIGIST).

METHODSClinical data of 63 patients with SIGIST who were admitted to the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2004 to December 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. According to resection procedure and postoperative use of imatinib, patients were divided into R0 resection plus imatinib group (13 cases), R0 resection without imatinib group (42 cases), non-R0 resection plus imatinib group (7 cases), non-R0 resection without imatinib group (1 case). Survival was compared among groups. Result All the patients were followed up with a median length of 24 months(3 to 120 months), and the over survival (OS) rates at 1-year, 3-year, 5-year were 97%, 94% and 80%. In R0 resection plus imatinib group, R0 resection without imatinib group, and non-R0 resection plus imatinib group, the progression free survival(PFS) time was 24, 24 and 23 months; the 1-year PFS were 100%, 97% and 83%; the 3-year PFS were 100%, 45% and 83%; the 5-year PFS were 100%, 28% and 42%. R0 resection plus imatinib group had significantly higher PFS(all P<0.05). The case of non-R0 resection without imatinib died 6 months after operation. Among 55 patients undergoing R0 resection, recurrence was found in 16 patients, whose recurrence rates of 1-year, 3-yeart and 5-year were 2%,43% and 58%. Local recurrence was found in 8 cases, hepatic recurrence in 3 cases and widespread recurrence in 5 cases, who received simple imatinib, operation plus imatinib and imatinib intervention, with median survival time of 66.5 months, 92.5 months and 48 months respectively. One patient initiatively abandoned treatment and died 17 months later.

CONCLUSIONThe total resection and postoperative imatinib administration can improve the prognosis and raise the progression free survival of patients with small intestinal stromal tumors.