Frequent Surveillance Imaging for Low-Risk Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Yields Little and Incurs High Costs

This study assessed the utility and costs of surveillance imaging for low- and very low-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors. The researchers reviewed the surveillance strategy in 60 patients and found that frequent imaging studies were performed with little yield and at substantial cost. No recurrences were detected, and the mean number of surveillance images per patient was 4. These findings highlight the need for standardized surveillance recommendations and further multi-institutional studies on practice patterns and outcomes of surveillance for these tumors.