OBJECTIVETo investigate and analysis the clinical and pathological characteristic of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients, and to clarify the factors that effect on prognosis.

METHODSThe clinical and pathological features and follow-up of GIST patients who received surgery in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from May 2002 to December 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The prognosis was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier unvariate analysis and Log-rank test were used to compare the survival rates. Multivariate factors for survival were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression model.

RESULTSA total of 558 GIST patients were collected, including 284 males and 272 females. The high incidence was in the elderly and age of 50 to 70 years. Most of the primary tumors are located in stomach (303 cases), followed by the small intestine (118 cases). Surgical procedures included R0 resection in 517 cases, R1 resection in 4 cases, R2 or palliative resection in 37 cases. The recurrence risk was very low in 102 cases, low in 156 cases, moderate in 67 cases and high in 233 cases. Of all the patients, 495 cases completed the follow-up, the follow-up rate was 88.7%. Five year survival rate was 87.4%. Patients who took targeted therapy with moderate and high risk of recurrence had a better prognosis compared with not taking the drug. Univariate analysis revealed that the factors impacting the prognosis were age, tumor size, tumor site and mitotic count. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor size (P=0.01, RR=1.562, 95% CI: 1.452 to 15.664), location (P=0.01, RR=1.552, 95% CI:1.324 to 12.225), mitotic figures (P<0.01, RR=1.415, 95% CI: 2.126 to 7.968) and tumor rupture (P=0.01, RR=1.578, 95% CI: 1.543 to 15.892) were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONR0 resection combined with targeted therapy is the best treatment of GIST. Tumor size, location, mitosis count and tumor rupture are independent prognostic factors of GIST patients.