OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was the analysis of women with gastrointestinal 
stromal tumors (GIST) of small intestine treated and followed-up in Cancer 
Center-Institute in Warsaw, who were primary operated in gynecological 
departments due to suspicion of gynecological neoplasm.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the database of Clinical GIST Registry from 2001 to 
2004 we identified 44 women with the diagnosis of CD117(+) GIST of small 
intestine, what corresponds to 34% (44/130) all female GIST patients. Sixteen of 
them (36.4%, 16/44) were primary operated on in gynecological departments due to 
the tentative diagnosis of gynecological neoplasm.
RESULTS: The only indication for operation in 29 women was undiagnosed 
microscopically tumor of the pelvis. Sixteen of them (55.2%, 16/29) were 
operated on schedule in gynecological departments. The others 15 patients were 
operated due to: ileus and perforation of digestive tract (8), gastrointestinal 
bleeding (3), abdominal pain (2) and others (2). In analyzed group of patients 
20 women (45.5%) after GIST excision remain without evidence of disease with 
median follow-up time of 9 months, and in 24 patients (54.5%) GIST recurred in 
median time of 18.5 months. In this latter group 23 patients were treated with 
imatinib due to inoperable/metastatic lesions. Estimated 2-year overall survival 
(calculated form the date of imatinib introduction) was 75%.
CONCLUSIONS: GISTs, especially of small intestine, may simulate in women 
gynecological tumor, particularly of the ovary. Radical surgery remains the most 
effective method of GIST treatment. In inoperable/metastatic lesion the 
treatment of choice is tyrosinase kinase inhibitor--imatinib.