Clinicopathological features of primary gastrointestinal lymphomas: a study of 42 cases

The clinicopathological features of 42 patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma during the period 1982-88 are described. Ten cases (23.8%) were seen in the stomach, 23 cases (54.8%) in the small intestine and 9 cases (21.4%) in the large intestine. In 4 cases multiple sites were involved. The tumours occurred most frequently in the 2nd to 4th decade. Histologically, using the working formulation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, all were found to be diffuse and mostly of the high grade type (45%). Seven lymphomas were seen in children. Three were of the Burkitt's type. Patients presented quite late in a large number of cases (43%). Compared with most other published series small intestinal involvement was common. There was a high incidence in males. Predominant small intestinal involvement did not result in malabsorption syndrome and primary lymphomas constituted 3.5% of all malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract.