OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics, surgical procedures and prognosis of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

METHODSThe clinical data of 18 GIST patients, collected from 1995 to 2004, were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe lesions of duodenal GISTs mainly located in the descending duodenum (13/18), unusually in the horizontal part (2/18), ascending part (1/18), and the bulb (2/18). Pathological examination revealed 1 case of benign tumor, 2 cases of borderline tumors and 15 cases of malignant tumors, Microscopically, the tumors were composed of spindle cells (14 cases), epithelial cell (1 case), and mixed cell types (3 cases). The clinical manifestations were non-specific, mostly was melena (7/18), as well as abdominal pain (6/18), fullness (5/18), and anemia (3/18). The diagnoses were performed by upper gastrointestinal radiography, gastroscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography and CT scan. All of the 18 patients received surgical treatment, including 9 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 5 local resections, 3 segmental resections of duodenum, and 1 distal subtotal gastrectomy. 1 and 3 year survival rates were 100% and 86.7% respectively.

CONCLUSIONMost duodenal GISTs are malignant, and the choices of surgical procedures are mainly determined by the location and size of the tumors.