Soft tissue
General
Staging-GIST
Editor-in-Chief: Debra L. Zynger, M.D.
Last author update: 1 November 2018
Last staff update: 19 January 2023 (update in progress)
Copyright: 2018-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search:
Staging soft tissue gastrointestinal stromal tumor
Page views in 2022: 1,718
Page views in 2023 to date: 134
Cite this page: Malik F, Clay MR. Staging-GIST. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/softtissuestaginggist.html. Accessed February 3rd, 2023.
Pathologic TNM staging of gastrointestinal stromal tumor, AJCC 8th edition
Introduction
- Histologic grading for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is different from other sarcomas and depends on the mitotic rate per 5 mm2, which roughly corresponds to 50 high power fields (HPF) in older microscopes and 20 - 25 HPF in newer microscopes
- Number of fields necessary should be determined for individual microscopes
- AJCC prognostic stage grouping for gastric and omental GISTs is different from GISTs of small intestine, esophagus, colon / rectum, mesentery and peritoneum; therefore, the appropriate table / section should be consulted
- Pediatric GIST, familial GIST (germline mutant KIT or PDGFRA) or syndromic GIST are not staged according to the AJCC system
Primary tumor (pT)
- pTX: Primary tumor cannot be assessed
- pT0: No evidence of primary tumor
- pT1: Tumor ≤ 2 cm in greatest dimension
- pT2: Tumor > 2 cm and ≤ 5 cm
- pT3: Tumor > 5 cm and ≤ 10 cm
- pT4: Tumor > 10 cm in greatest dimension
Notes:
- In cases in which a tumor is received ruptured, the largest diameter may need to be estimated from imaging studies
- Although tumor rupture into the peritoneal cavity significantly increases the risk of peritoneal recurrence and should be recorded, it is not yet included in the staging system due to inadequate data
Regional lymph nodes (pN)
- pN0: No regional lymph node metastasis
- pN1: Regional lymph node metastasis
Notes:
- pNX is not used for soft tissue tumors and no pN should be reported if no lymph nodes are present
Histologic grade (G)
- Low mitotic rate: ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
- High mitotic rate: > 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
AJCC prognostic stage groups
AJCC stage
| Stage grouping
| Gastric and omental GIST stage
|
IA
| T1 or T2
| Tumor is ≤ 2 cm in greatest dimension (T1) OR tumor is > 2 cm and ≤ 5 cm (T2)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Low mitotic rate
| There are ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IB
| T3
| Tumor is > 5 cm and ≤ 10 cm (T3)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Low mitotic rate
| There are ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
II
| T1 or T2
| Tumor is ≤ 2 cm in greatest dimension (T1) OR tumor is > 2 cm and ≤ 5 cm (T2)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| High mitotic rate
| There are > 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
| OR
|
| T4
| Tumor is > 10 cm in greatest dimension (T4)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Low mitotic rate
| There are ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IIIA
| T3
| Tumor is > 5 cm but ≤ 10 cm (T3)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| High mitotic rate
| There are > 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IIIB
| T4
| Tumor is > 10 cm (T4)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| High mitotic rate
| There are > 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IV
| Any T
| Cancer is any size (any T) AND
|
| N1
| It has spread to nearby lymph nodes (N1)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Any mitotic rate
| It can have any number of mitoses
|
| OR
|
| Any T
| Cancer is any size (any T) AND
|
| Any N
| It has or has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (any N)
|
| M1
| It has spread to distant sites such as the lungs (M1)
|
| Any mitotic rate
| It can have any number of mitoses
|
AJCC stage
| Stage grouping
| Small intestinal, esophageal, colorectal, mesenteric and peritoneal GIST stage
|
I
| T1 or T2
| Tumor is ≤ 2 cm in greatest dimension (T1) OR tumor is > 2 cm and ≤ 5 cm (T2)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Low mitotic rate
| There are ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
II
| T3
| Tumor is > 5 cm and ≤ 10 cm (T3)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Low mitotic rate
| There are ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IIIA
| T1
| Tumor is ≤ 2 cm in greatest dimension (T1)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| High mitotic rate
| There are > 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
| OR
|
| T4
| Tumor is > 10 cm in greatest dimension (T4)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to regional lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Low mitotic rate
| There are ≤ 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IIIB
| T2, T3 or T4
| Tumor is > 5 cm in greatest dimension (T2, T3 or T4)
|
| N0
| It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| High mitotic rate
| There are > 5 mitoses per 5 mm2
|
IV
| Any T
| Cancer is any size (any T) AND
|
| N1
| It has spread to nearby lymph nodes (N1)
|
| M0
| It has not spread to distant sites (M0)
|
| Any mitotic rate
| It can have any number of mitoses
|
| OR
|
| Any T
| Cancer is any size (any T) AND
|
| Any N
| It has or has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (any N)
|
| M1
| It has spread to distant sites such as the lungs (M1)
|
| Any mitotic rate
| It can have any number of mitoses
|
Comment Here
Back to top