CD117 is not always positive in infantile gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Excerpt

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare in infants. GIST was presumed to originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which has been proven by their immunophenotype (CD117 positive). About 95% of GISTs express CD117 and 80% of GISTs also express CD34. They locate mostly in the stomach or the small intestine and usually cause obstruction [1]. The UK National Registry of Childhood Tumors reported the incidence of GISTs at 0.02 per million per year in children below the age of 14 years [2]. Here we will discuss a very rare case of infantile GIST with negative CD117 expression and make a review of literatures about its clinical, histopathological, and prognostic findings. …