In conclusion, many studies around the world have attempted to identify the incidence of GIST, ranging from national database analyses in the United States to retrospective pathological analyses conducted throughout Europe and Asia. The incidence of disease varies from 2.1 to 19.7 cases per million persons. GIST appears to be slightly more common in males than females with an average age range in the mid-60s and peak incidence in the 70s. For unclear reasons, race appears to be a factor in disease development with African Americans and Asian/Pacific Islanders being more commonly affected than Caucasians. As reported in every study, it is clear that the stomach is the most common tumor location followed by the small intestine. Finally, risk factors for death secondary to disease include increased age at diagnosis, male sex, Black race, and regional/metastatic disease. Despite increased understanding of the epidemiology of GIST over the last two decades, further studies are warranted to better define the incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for developing GIST.