Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs): French Intergroup Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatments and follow-up (SNFGE, FFCD, GERCOR, UNICANCER, SFCD, SFED, SFRO)

Background: This document is a summary of the French Intergroup guidelines regarding the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) updated in December 2018.

Design: This collaborative work summarizes clinical practice recommendations (guidelines) on the management of GISTs. It is based on recent literature review, ESMO recommendations and expert opinions.

Results: The diagnosis of GIST is based on histological examination and immunohistochemistry with markers KIT and DOG-1. Each case must be discussed within a multidisciplinary team. Complete surgical resection tumour, avoiding peroperative perforation, is the potentially curative treatment of localized GISTs. The estimation of the recurrence risk is essential, or adjuvant treatment,and follow-up adaptation. Genotyping (KIT and PDGFRA) of all but very low-risk GISTs is recommended. The nature of mutation has a prognostic value and predictive influence on drug efficacy. Imatinib, a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, is the standard adjuvant treatment after R0 resection of a GIST with a high risk of recurrence, and the first line therapy for advanced GISTs. Suninitib and regorafenib are respectively the second- and third-line standard treatments for advanced GISTs.

Conclusion: Guidelines for management of GISTs are continuously evolving and need to be regularly updated. This constant progress is made possible through clinical and translational research.