<b>GI LMS</b>

The most important thing for any GI soft tissue tumor is to make sure it is or isn't GIST.  This may involve a second opinion on the tumor by a sarcoma pathologist AND a test for Ckit.

GI LMS tends to recur locally, and to metastasize to the liver first, before the lungs.
<b>The SARCOMA ONCOLOGIST who is following you should be the actual expert on the most current and cost effective care for you, as are the NCCN guidelines. </b>  

Depending upon the country and the person's resources, this surveillance might be as follows:

In the US, the protocol is usually:  Spiral CT scan of Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis with contrast, plus usual interim history, physical exam, urine and blood tests. Surveillance is every three months for two years, every 6 months for the next three years, and then yearly.

In other countries, the "economy" alternative might be substituting ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis for routine CT scan, and substituting the CXR every three months, with the CT chest done only six monthly, plus usual interim history, physical exam, urine and blood tests.  

