Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common non-epithelial mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Surgical treatment is the only curative therapy for primary localized GIST. This study aimed to identify the clinicopathological characteristics of gastric GISTs and to study the predictive factors for recurrence in Tunisian patients.

The prognosis of gastric GIST depends on various tumor factors with the most important being the mitotic index and tumor necrosis. Imatinib therapy has revolutionized the treatment of advanced GIST.

They have been the subject of much controversy in terms of their histogenesis, classification, treatment and prognosis. GISTs are histologically similar to smooth muscle and nerve tumors such as leiomyomas, leiomyosarcomas or schwannomas. Currently they are well characterized with the recent discovery of the C-KIT gene mutation and the expression by tumor cells of the C-KIT protein.

Moreover, the discovery of this receptor is at the origin of the introduction of a "targeted therapy": an anti-tyrosine kinase molecule having revolutionized the therapeutic management of these tumors. However, the standard curative treatment of GIST remains complete surgical resection with negative margin from the tumor.

Inclusion Criteria: patient having gastric GIST

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Exclusion Criteria:

• patient operated for other gastric tumors

There were 34 patients with the mean age of 58.2 years and male predominance. The disease was localized, locally advanced and metastatic in 26, 6 and 2 cases, respectively. Complete surgical resection was performed in 32 cases.