Laparoscopic Partial Gastrectomy for Large Gastric GISTs

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are considered the most common mesenchymal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract and the stomach is the most frequently site affected (50–60%). The safety and feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for gastric GISTs of sizes larger than 5 cm remains unclear. It depends on the surgical skills, tumor location and the learning curve of the surgeons. Methods: : Between December 2013 and January 2021, thirty patients diagnosed with gastric GISTs underwent laparoscopic partial gastrectomy. This is a retrospective study done in surgical oncology unit, Oncology Center, Mansoura University, Egypt. Results: : The most common tumor location was in the greater curvature in (46.7%). The mean tumor size was 7.2 cm (the largest was 13 cm). All of the patients underwent laparoscopic partial gastrectomy. Splenectomy was done for one patient only. The mean operative time was 152.67 minutes and the estimated blood loss (EBL) was 139.33 ml. The mean hospital stay was 3.53 days. The mean follows up period was 32.4 months. Conclusion: Laparoscopic resection for gastric GISTs has become a feasible method. Patients with large tumors have the same favorable outcomes as small tumors. Large-sized GISTs may receive neoadjuvant therapy to downstage the disease and make it amenable for laparoscopic resection.