Pediatric Gastrointestinal Tumors

Abstract

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors or GISTs belong to a category of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors that can have benign or malignant potential. These tumors were formerly identified as gastrointestinal (GI) leiomyomas, leiomyoblastomas, or leiomyosarcomas. GISTs account for approximately 80% of GI mesenchymal tumors and 3% of all childhood tumors. Pediatric GISTs occur in patients younger than 18 years and are extremely rare. In the United States, pediatric GISTs have been reported in the literature less than 100 times. In addition, much research has failed to distinguish between benign and malignant mesenchymal tumors. This makes it extremely difficult for medical professionals to develop any type of expertise because few see more than one or two of these cases in a career, and of those cases, many never differentiate between the two. This case study involves a young patient who had been diagnosed with pediatric GIST. This report details the initial sonographic findings and the follow-up studies that had initially suggested a pediatric GIST of malignant potential but, upon further outside consultation, suggested a benign pediatric GIST.