A Case Report and Literature Review of a Rectal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms, with rectal GISTs making up less than 5% of cases. An 80-year-old woman presented with an incidental rectal mass on magnetic resonance imaging and failure to pass stool. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle biopsy confirmed a 3.1 cm multilobulated rectal GIST. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges and variability in managing rectal GISTs. A literature review of rectal GISTs from the past 5 years was conducted, summarizing tumor size, neoadjuvant or adjuvant imatinib use, surgical management, and outcomes to better characterize current treatment patterns for this rare malignancy.