Metachronous gastric MALT lymphoma and early gastric cancer: a case report

Metachronous association between gastric lymphoma and early gastric cancer is a rare event. Recent studies have suggested that a relationship exists between gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and gastric carcinoma although the mechanism is unknown. Herein, we report a 53-year-old man who visited to our hospital due to melena. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed a MALT lymphoma on the greater curvature of lower body. The patient received anti-Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy, followed by 6 cycles of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and achieved complete remission 12 months after the therapy. Three years later, he revisited our hospital with epigastric pain. EGD revealed an early gastric cancer on the anterior wall of proximal antrum, nearly opposite to the previous lymphoma site, and a partial gastrectomy was performed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of metachronous MALT lymphoma and subsequent gastric carcinoma in Korea.