Abstract
Although the term neoadjuvant correctly applies to atherapy provided in the preoperative setting in patients withprimary disease, it is highly misleading when applied to atherapy provided before surgery in patients with metastaticdisease. In the former setting, in patients with localizeddisease, the primary therapy is surgery; imatinib plays anadjuvant/neoadjuvant role. In metastatic disease, imatinibis the primary therapy and should not be discontinued;surgery may play an adjuvant role, although this is not yetproven. Indeed, these two scenarios are quite different.They were separately analyzed and should be separatelydiscussed and put in perspective.PRIMARY DISEASESurgery is the only potentially curative therapy forpatients with localized primary GIST. All patients withtumors [2 cm in size should undergo surgical resection.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
