OBJECTIVE: To report a case of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor presenting as a recurrent tongue mass.

METHODS:
Study Design: Case Report
Setting: Tertiary Public Military Hospital
Participant: One patient

RESULTS: A 40-year-old Filipino soldier from Camarines Sur presented with a recurrent tongue mass two years after excision of a progressively-enlarging, firm, fixed, non-tender mass at the left posterior third of the tongue diagnosed as a Schwannoma. Repeat surgery involved partial glossectomy via midline mandibular swing. Final histopathologic report after immunohistochemical studies for CD117, SMA, and S100 was extraintestinal gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the tongue. The patient was started on the c-kit tyrosine kinase inhibitor Imatinib with no recurrence 10 months post treatment.

CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor may be considered when presented with a recurrent tongue mass despite complete surgical resection. Surgical removal is curative for most lesions. Post-operative chemotherapy with the use of Imatinib is valuable.