Background: Radical surgical excision is the mainstay of therapy of primary, nonmetastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and margin status after surgery is a significant prognostic factor.
Methods and results: The aim of this paper is to review principles in primary GIST surgery, i.e. differences between R0, R1, and R2 resection, to describe how surgical margin status and tumor intraperitoneal rupture influence the patients' outcome, and how this may be effected by neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment in locally advanced tumors. A systematic search of literature published between 2000 and 2018 was performed regarding this topic.
Conclusion: Correct interpretation of margin status after surgery can be affected by many factors during operation and preparation of tissue.
Keywords: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor; Imatinib; Margin; Neodjuvant; Pathology; Surgery; Tumor perforation.