Clinical and Pathological Features of Primary Gastrointestinal Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

OBJECTIVE The study was initiated to obtain histologic distribution, clinical features, and treatment results in patients with primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkln’s lymphomas.

METHODS Between January 1990 and January 2000, 89 PGI NHL patients were eligible to evaluate clinical features. Histological and immunohistological studies were routinely used and all the specimens were reclassified according to the recently published WHO classification system.

RESULTS (1) Clinically, among the 89 patients, there were 24 patients in stage IE, 33 in stage IIE, 19 in stage IIIE, and 13 in stage IVE. (2) Immunohistological studies revealed 72 patients were with B-cell type and only 17 with T-cell type. (3)Altogether, 15 MALT lymphoma were diagnosed among 89 PGI NHL patients, and 14/15 were found primary in the stomach. (4)The 3-year and 5-year overall survival were 77.0% (57/74) and 53.6% (30/56)for the total group.

CONCLUSION No clinical symptoms and signs were found to be specific for the diagnosis of PGI NHL. Most patients were in stage IE and IIE when diagnosed and the intermediate grade and B-cell type were more common than the others. Surgical resection of the tumor and standard combined chemotherapy post surgery were suggested to be the most effective measures for the long term survival of the PGI NHL patients.