Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors and Sarcomas

Sarcomas are rare tumors that account for less than 1% of newly diagnosed adult malignancies annually. Soft tissue sarcomas can occur in any part of the body; in decreasing incidence, they are diagnosed as follows: Extremities (59%), trunk (19%), retroperitoneum (13%), head and neck (9%). Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are also rare neoplasms that develop from the mesenchymal cells of the gastrointestinal tract. Most GISTs are diagnosed in the stomach. The recurrence rate of both groups of tumors (sarcomas > GIST) should be considered relatively high. The authors of this chapter present both the epidemiologic, clinical, and diagnostic bases and the principles of surgical therapy for these tumors. The strategies of nonoperative therapy of these entities are discussed.