Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that arise from primitive mesenchymal cells. GISTs occur throughout the GI tract but are usually located in the stomach and small intestine. The majority of GISTs are immunohistochemically positive for c-kit protein (CD 117) and CD34. GISTs express a heterogeneous clinical course not easily predicted by standard pathological means. The most important prognostic factors are size > 5 cm, tumor necrosis, infiltration and metastasis to other sites, mitotic count > 1-5 per 10 high-powered fields, and most recently, mutation in the c-kit gene. Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment, as chemotherapy and radiation are ineffective. Long-term follow-up is imperative, as recurrence rates are high.

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EMT is associated with poor survival in surgically resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma. A correlation between activated Erk and fibronectin was identified that may open avenues for targeted therapy for this subgroup.

Radical resection for T2 and T3 disease resulted in a significant survival advantage compared with simple cholecystectomy. Patients who undergo radical re-resection after an incidentally discovered gallbladder cancer experience the same survival benefit as primarily resected patients. Radical resection for T2N(-), T2N(+), and T3N0 cases can achieve long-term survival. Conversely, the prognosis for T3N(+) and T4 patients is poor, and improved outcome for this group will likely depend on the development of multi-institutional neoadjuvant clinical trials that can identify effective systemic regimens.