Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Presenting as Perforated Diverticulitis

Jin K. Kim, MD, Sarah B. Bryczkowski, MD, Stephen G. Pereira, MD, Adam Rosenstock, MD, Ruifang Zheng, MD, Osvaldo Zumba, MD, George Mazpule, MD

Department of Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA (Dr. Kim)
Department of Surgery, Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center, Edison, New Jersey, USA (Dr. Bryczkowski)
Department of Surgery, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA (Drs Pereira, Rosenstock, Zumba, Mazpule)
Department of Pathology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA (Dr. Zheng)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Colonic gastrointestinal stromal tumors are rare and never have been reported to present as diverticulitis.

Case Description: We describe a case of a 63-year-old female who was treated for a perforated sigmoid diverticulitis which was secondary to a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Conclusion: While most major guidelines suggest treatment with adjuvant imatinib for immediate or high risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors, there are discrepancies among the guidelines on the management of perforated tumors which warrant further studies to manage these patients.

Key Words: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor; Perforated GIST; Perforated diverticulitis.

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