Incidental gastrointestinal subepithelial mass is increasing with national cancer screening endoscopy. Most of gastrointestinal subepithelial mass are small-sized and asymptomatic tumor with benign nature, but gastrointestinal stromal tumor should be ruled-out because of its malignant behavior. Although conventional endoscopy alone can differentiate the nature of subepithelial mass, more accurate diagnosis can be achieved with endoscopic ultrasonography and its guided biopsy. In this review, differential diagnosis and treatment strategy of incidental gastrointestinal subepithelial mass would be presented.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Intestinal Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Stomach Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a valuable imaging modality for the evaluation of gastrointestinal submucosal tumor (SMT). EUS is helpful in assessing the layer of origin, tumor diameter, shape, border characteristics, and internal echo patterns of SMTs and thus makes it possible to predict histologic diagnosis with educated guess. However, some studies have found no significant differences in EUS features between benign and malignant mesenchymal tumors. By comparing EUS impressions with histologic diagnosis, we evaluated the accuracy of EUS in differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal SMTs. METHODS: 58 cases of gastrointestinal SMTs with both EUS findings and pathologic reports were compared retrospectively from August 2001 to September 2003. RESULTS: 34 patients had lesions in the stomach and 13, 8, 3 in the esophagus, duodenum, and colon respectively. Benign lesions were predominant (46 of 58). The EUS and pathologic diagnosis coincided in 46/58 (79.3%) of the cases. Use of EUS led to the correct diagnosis in 7/9 (77.8%) of malignant GISTs (gastrointestinal stromal tumor) and leiomyosarcomas. Two small malignant gastric GISTs were diagnosed as benign with EUS. CONCLUSIONS: EUS is a useful tool in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal SMTs and predicting malignant lesions. However, some malignant GISTs were diagnosed as benign tumor with EUS examination.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; *Endosonography ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/pathology/*ultrasonography ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/pathology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma/pathology/ultrasonography ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Subepithelial tumors are occasionally found during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate endoscopic characteristics of mesenchymal tumors originating from muscularis mucosa or muscularis propria. METHODS: A total of 307 mesenchymal tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract were diagnosed between March 2006 and February 2012 at Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital (Seoul, Korea). Data on endoscopic and endoscopic ultrasonographic findings were collected and analyzed by retrospectively reviewing the medical records. RESULTS: The mean size of the mesenchymal tumors originating from muscularis mucosa was significantly smaller than those originating from muscularis propria (10.5+/-6.9 mm vs. 14.3+/-13.9 mm, p=0.035). The most common locations of the mesenchymal tumors originating from muscularis mucosa and muscularis propria were esophagus (69.1%) and body of the stomach (43.3%), respectively (p<0.001). Rolling sign was more commonly observed with mesenchymal tumors originating from muscularis mucosa (80.4%, p=0.001), and cushion sign was more frequently absent with those originating from muscularis propria (72.4%, p<0.001). Internal echo was homogenous in 89.7% and 81.9% of mesenchymal tumors originating from muscularis mucosa and muscularis propria, respectively (p=0.092). CONCLUSIONS: The size, location, and movability of mesenchymal tumors originating from muscularis mucosa were different from those of mesenchymal tumor originating from muscularis propria.propria.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Esophagus/pathology/ultrasonography ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane/pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach/pathology/ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Submucosal tumors of the esophagus are rare lesions among all esophageal neoplasms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic features of esophageal submucosal tumors treated by surgical approach. METHODS: We analyzed the clinicopathologic and endoscopic ultrasonographic features of 18 esophageal submucosal tumors which were treated by surgical approach at Boramae Medical Center and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from January 2005 to June 2012. RESULTS: The mean age was 48.9 years old and male to female ratio was 2.6:1. Asymptomatic patients were most common (77.8%). In endoscopic ultrasonographic finding, the majority tumor arouse in the middle (55.6%) and lower (44.4%) esophagus, and appeared as hypoechoic lesion (72.2%) in the 4th layer (83.3%). The most common indication for surgical approach was unclear biological behavior of the tumor. Minimally-invasive technique using thoracoscopy was applied for the enucleation (83.3%). The mean diameter of the tumor was 5.4 cm, and the final diagnosis was leiomyoma (89.9%) and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (11.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Leiomyoma was the most common submucosal tumor in esophagus. However, endoscopic ultrasonography was not able to differentiate between leiomyoma and gastrointesinal stromal tumor. For more accurate diagnosis and treatment, minimally-invasive approaches may be suitable for the surgical enucleation of indicated esophageal submucosal tumor.
Adult ; Aged ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*pathology/*surgery/ultrasonography ; Esophagus/pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/diagnosis/surgery ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa/*pathology ; Leiomyoma/diagnosis/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracoscopy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The accurate preoperative prediction of the risk of malignancy of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is difficult. The aim of this study was to determine whether tumor size and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) features can preoperatively predict the risk of malignancy of medium-sized gastric GISTs. METHODS: Surgically resected, 2 to 5 cm gastric GIST patients were enrolled and retrospectively reviewed. EUS features, such as heterogeneity, hyperechoic foci, calcification, cystic change, hypoechoic foci, lobulation, and ulceration, were evaluated. Tumors were grouped in 1 cm intervals. The correlations of tumor size or EUS features with the risk of malignancy were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 75 patients were enrolled. The mean tumor size was 3.43+/-0.92 cm. Regarding the risk of malignancy, 51 tumors (68%) had a very low risk, and 24 tumors (32%) had a moderate risk. When the tumors were divided into three groups in 1 cm intervals, the proportions of tumors with a moderate risk were not different between the groups. The preoperative EUS features also did not differ between the very low risk and the moderate risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size and EUS features cannot be used to preoperatively predict the risk of malignancy of medium-sized gastric GISTs. A preoperative diagnostic modality for predicting risk of malignancy is necessary to prevent the overtreatment of GISTs with a low risk of malignancy.
Aged ; *Endosonography ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*pathology/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitotic Index ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Preoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Stomach Neoplasms/*pathology/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Tumor Burden

We report a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patient with male gynecomastia and testicular hydrocele after treatment with imatinib mesylate. A 42 yr-old male patient presented for management of hepatic masses. Two years earlier, he had undergone a small bowel resection to remove an intraabdominal mass later shown to be a GIST, followed by adjuvant radiation therapy. At presentation, CT scan revealed multiple hepatic masses, which were compatible with metastatic GIST, and he was prescribed imatinib 400 mg/day. During treatment, he experienced painful enlargement of the left breast and scrotal swelling. Three months after cessation of imatinib treatment, the tumors recurred, and, upon recommencing imatinib, he experienced painful enlargement of the right breast and scrotal swelling. He was diagnosed with male gynecomastia caused by decreased testosterone and noncommunicative testicular hydrocele. He was given androgen support and a hydrocelectomy, which improved his gynecomastia. The mechanism by which imatinib induces gynecomastia and hydrocele is thought to be associated with an inhibition of c-KIT and platelet-derive growth factor. This is the first report, to our knowledge, describing concurrent male gynecomastia and testicular hydrocele after imatinib treatment of a patient with GIST.
Adult ; Androgens/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*drug therapy ; Gynecomastia/*chemically induced/complications/drug therapy ; Humans ; Hydrocele/*chemically induced/complications/drug therapy ; Male ; Piperazines/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Pyrimidines/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Testis/drug effects/pathology/ultrasonography