A Rare Case of Terminal Ileum Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Perforation in Elderly Patient

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal tumors, primarily located in stomach and small intestine, while occurrence in the terminal ileum is particularly rare. Although GISTs can develop throughout the gastrointestinal tract, cases of perforation in elderly individuals are even less common, posing significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This case report describes a 86-year-old male patient with an acute abdomen caused by a terminal ileum perforated GIST requiring urgent surgical intervention. Immunohistochemical examination of the tumor confirmed GIST with a GILT (gastrointestinal leiomyogenic tumor) immunophenotype. The rarity of this condition makes it diagnostically challenging, as symptoms are often nonspecific, and GISTs are frequently overlooked, particularly in older patients. This case underscores the importance of diagnostic features of this tumor and consideration of a wide differential diagnosis when assessing elderly patients presenting with suspected gastrointestinal perforation.