Radiotherapy in the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are uncommon mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Up to one-third of GISTs are malignant with a high rate of metastasis. Surgical resection is the mainstay of care for patients with resectable disease. Imatinib mesylate, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the current standard of care for GISTs that cannot be completely resected or in cases of metastatic GIST. Although often overlooked, radiation therapy is a viable option for select patients with GIST. We report the case of a patient with unresectable GIST who was treated with local radiotherapy and achieved long term response. We also present a review of the literature regarding the use of radiotherapy in the treatment of GIST. GIST has been shown to be a radiosensitive tumor. Radiotherapy can offer long-term local control and should be considered in the adjuvant or palliative setting. The role of radiotherapy delivered concurrently with imatinib in the treatment of GIST may warrant further investigation.