[Sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract].

From 1970-1988 15 patients were operated on gastrointestinal sarcomas. Four more patients with this diagnosis had to be excluded after histological reclassification. A resection with curative intention was possible in 10 cases. Three patients initially had distant metastases, in 6 patients they appeared postoperatively. Regarding prognosis the TNMG-system proved to be useful only concerning lymph nodes. Eight patients died because of tumor progression, four have no evidence of disease 20-97 months postoperatively. One patient with liver metastases has a complete remission 32 months after chemotherapy. We found a 5-year-survival rate of 28%. Radical tumor resection and lymphadenectomy is recommended, distant metastases should be treated by chemotherapy.