Editorial
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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Jul 16, 2014; 6(7): 266-271
Published online Jul 16, 2014. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v6.i7.266
Management of early asymptomatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the stomach
Hans Scherübl, Siegbert Faiss, Wolfram-Trudo Knoefel, Eva Wardelmann
Hans Scherübl, Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Gastroenterologie, GI Onkologie und Infektiologie, Vivantes Klinikum Am Urban, 10967 Berlin, Germany
Siegbert Faiss, III. Med. Abteilung, Asklepios Klinik Barmbek, 22291 Hamburg, Germany
Wolfram-Trudo Knoefel, Klinik für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Kinderchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Eva Wardelmann, Gerhard-Domagk-Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
Author contributions: All the authors contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hans Scherübl, Professor, Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Gastroenterologie, GI Onkologie und Infektiologie, Vivantes Klinikum Am Urban, Dieffenbachstrasse 1, 10967 Berlin, Germany. hans.scheruebl@vivantes.de
Telephone: +49-30-130225201 Fax: +49-30-130225205
Received: February 23, 2014
Revised: April 24, 2014
Accepted: June 10, 2014
Published online: July 16, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Small gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are by far the commonest neoplasias of the stomach. Thus, early gastric GIST of less than 1 cm in size are found in 20%-30% of the elderly. The natural disease-specific prognosis of early gastric GIST (< 1 cm), also called micro-GIST, is excellent in the mostly elderly patients. Micro-GIST of the stomach appear to have a self-limiting tumorigenesis. Local endoscopic or surgical resection of early asymptomatic GIST (< 1 cm) of the stomach is in general not indicated in the elderly. Instead endoscopic surveillance is advised.