OBJECTIVETo evaluated the clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) with synchronous gastric cancer.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic records of 122 patients with gastric GIST who underwent surgical treatment from April 2000 to June 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-six patients presented synchronous gastric cancer(group A), while 96 patients did not(group B). The clinicopathologic features of gastric GIST were compared between the two groups. Potential prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTSGastric GIST in group A were associated with smaller tumor diameter (P<0.01), lower mitotic count(P<0.05), lower Fletcher classification(P<0.01), and lower rate of pre-operative diagnosis(23.1% vs. 97.9%, P<0.01). On univariate analysis, maximum tumor diameter (P<0.01), mitotic count (P<0.01), Fletcher classification (P<0.01) and synchronous gastric cancer(P<0.05) were the predictive factors of survival. Multivariate analysis showed that Fletcher classification(P<0.05) and synchronous gastric cancer (P<0.01) were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONSIn patients with synchronous gastric GIST and gastric cancer, Fletcher classification of GIST is usually very low or low invasion risk and has minimal impact on the prognosis. Survival depends primarily on the gastric cancer.