Gastroblastoma: a case report and literature review

Objective: Gastroblastoma (GB) is an extremely rare biphasic malignant embryonal tumor of the stomach, primarily seen in children, with limited case reports in adults. Due to overlapping histological features with other gastric tumors, its definitive diagnosis and the establishment of standardized treatment strategies remain challenging. Case report: This paper reports an 18-year-old adult male patient who presented with abdominal pain. Preoperative imaging studies revealed a 3.8 cm mass in the gastric antrum, with an initial diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST). The patient underwent laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy. Postoperative histopathological examination showed the tumor was composed of epithelioid and spindle cell mesenchymal components, exhibiting biphasic differentiation. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) results showed positivity for Pan-Cytokeratin (PCK), CD56, and Vimentin, with a low Ki-67 index (5%). A final diagnosis of GB (pT4aN2aM0) was confirmed. The patient did not receive adjuvant therapy postoperatively and showed no signs of tumor recurrence or metastasis at 14 months of follow-up. Conclusion: . Radical surgical resection is the primary treatment modality, and the overall prognosis is favorable. Future efforts require strengthening multi-center collaboration, further investigating the molecular mechanisms, and developing individualized treatment strategies, including those targeting the Hedgehog pathway, to refine diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines and improve patient outcomes.