Laparoscopic resection of a small-bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST): a case report

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the small bowel is a relatively rare submucosal tumor that is often difficult to diagnose preoperatively. The only effective treatment is complete tumor resection. We describe a patient with a small-bowel GIST in whom laparoscopy was useful for diagnosis and treatment. The patient was a 65-year-old woman who underwent laparoscopic partial resection of the small intestine for a well-demarcated, solid mass arising in the ileum, measuring about 6 cm in diameter. The resected mass measured 5.5 cm in diameter and was immunohistopathologically positive for c-Kit and negative for CD34, with a Ki-67 labeling index of <1%. A moderate-risk GIST of the small bowel was diagnosed. The use of laparoscopy permitted extensive examination of the abdominal cavity through a small incision and allowed the lesion to be resected using a minimal number of skin incisions, placed at appropriate sites. As of 3 years after surgery, there is no evidence of recurrence.