Gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the esophagus

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms that account for 0.2% of all GI neoplasms. We report a case of a 62-year-old male with a large esophageal GIST, and discuss the pathophysiology of the disease and the current management principles. This case is noteworthy because it documents a rare lesion in the esophagus that presents like other neoplastic diseases in this organ that usually carry a poor prognosis. An aggressive approach (e.g., more radical surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) might have been pondered based purely on the size of the lesion in this patient. It is important that primary care physicians and surgeons be aware of the possibility of the presence of this potentially curable lesion so as to avoid overtreatment.