SP9.8 - Assessing the quality of guidelines for the management of Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumour

Introduction Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumours (GISTs) are tumours of the gastro-intestinal tract that arise from connective tissue and they have potential for malignancy. A number of guidelines exist in their management. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of these guidelines. Methods A search of the literature was undertaken for appropriate guidelines pertaining to the diagnosis and management of GISTs. The AGREE II checklist was used to assess the current GIST guidelines. Results A total of nine guidelines were included in this study. The overall median score across all guidelines was 68% (lowest; 50%, highest 89%). Guidelines tended to score highly in Domain IV (Clarity of Presentation, median score 76%) as well as Domain VI (Editorial Independence, 67%) and Domain I (Scope and Purpose, 61%). However, lower scores were noted in the Domain V (Applicability, 39%), Domain III (Rigor of Development, 52%) and Domain II (Stakeholder Involvement, 56%). None of the guidelines scored a unanimous ‘Yes’ vote for clinical usage, and all needed some level of modifying. Conclusion Whilst some of the current guidelines for the management of GISTs is of a high quality, there is a need for improvement with regards to the quality of the methodology used to formulate the guidelines and how they can be implemented in daily clinical use.