Get the GIST: A Case Study of Detection and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are soft tissue sarcomas that can occur anywhere in the GI tract. There are roughly 4,000 to 6,000 cases diagnosed in the United States annually. GISTs are often asymptomatic early on and can evade detection, occasionally resulting in malignancy. Due to their insidious growth and location, it is suspected that they are more common than currently reported. It is important to know how difficult it is to identify a GIST and the various methods to treat it in a patient. Our case presents a 62-year-old male with incidental findings of multiple GISTs during workup for kidney stones. The patient was fortunate that these tumors were detected before developing into a greater health concern and this case highlights the insidious nature with which they develop.