TITLE:
Epidemiological, Therapeutic, and Prognostic Profile of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in Senegal
AUTHORS:
Alioune Badara Fall, Seynabou Fall, Marie Louise Bassene, Mareme Polele Fall, Douada Niang, Salamata Diallo, Mame Coumba Cisse, Tene Sidibe, Mouhamed Sidibe, Alsine Yauck, Bibata Toure, Nogaye Niang, Fatou Samba Ndiaye
KEYWORDS:
GIST, Dog 1, CKIT, Imatinib, Progression
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Gastroenterology,
Vol.15 No.12,
December
2,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) constitute a rare subset of digestive tract malignancies classified within the sarcoma group. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, therapeutic, and prognostic characteristics of GISTs and to determine factors associated with poor outcomes in a developing country context. Patients and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted over a seven-year period (January 2016 to December 2022) in the Onco-hematology Department of Dalal Jamm National Hospital Center, Senegal. All patients with a diagnosis of GIST confirmed by histological and immunohistochemical analysis were included. Data were extracted from medical charts, operative records, pathology, and immunohistochemistry reports, and analyzed using Sphinx software version 23. Results: Fifty-seven cases of GIST were identified, corresponding to an average annual hospital incidence of eight cases. The mean age of patients was 56 years (range: 29 - 80), with a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.03. The stomach represented the predominant tumor site (54.32%), followed by the mesentery (19%). Abdominal pain was the most frequent presenting symptom (64.91%). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed endophytic lesions in 24.56% of patients, while computed tomography demonstrated exophytic growth in 87.72%. The mean tumor size was 16.5 cm (range: 2.9 - 31 cm). Spindlecell morphology predominated histologically (92.08%), and C-kit positivity was observed in 70.17% of cases. According to the AFIP classification, available for 33 patients (57.89%), a high risk of recurrence was noted in 36.36%. All patients received imatinib therapy. Surgical management was performed in 54.40% of cases, and one patient underwent full-thickness endoscopic resection. After a mean follow-up of 27.9 months, complete remission was maintained in 24.56% of patients. Mortality occurred in 28.07% and tumor recurrence in 21.05% of cases. Conclusion: GIST remain uncommon in our setting. Diagnostic delays and limited access to comprehensive management significantly affect patient prognosis. The high recurrence rate underscores the need to improve availability of advanced targeted therapies in resource-limited environments.