[Clinical and morphological characteristics of gastrointestinal stromal tumors]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite this, GISTS comprise about 2% in the structure of digestive tract cancers. They are usually localized in the stomach; however, they can be found in the small intestine and more rarely in the colon and esophagus. Although approximately 70% of the GISTs consist predominantly of spindle cells; the epithelioid cell tumors represent 20% of cases; there are also mixed variants. This variability in the morphological structure of GISTs complicates their diagnosis.