[Survival in patients with gastric lymphoma]

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma is a histological type of marginal zone non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Its clinical features and prognosis have seldom been reported because of its indolent clinical course.

To establish prognostic factors that should be considered for the staging and management of this disease.

Clinical data of 40 pathologically confirmed gastric lymphoma patients, treated during a period of 13 years, were analyzed.

Of the 40 patients, 65% had stage IE - II1E disease and 35% had stage II2E - IV disease. A total of 18 patients received surgeries.Eighteen patients had chemotherapy and 10 patients had Helicobacter Pylori eradication therapy. The complete remission rate after treatment was 50%. The patients were followed up for a median of 26.75 months. The 5-year overall survival rate was 70%. Early stage at presentation, surgery, normal lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and Helicobacter Pylori infection were associated with longer survival in univariate analysis.

This study suggested that surgery might be an important factor predicting the long-term survival of patients with primary gastric lymphoma. Patients with poor prognostic factors should be treated more aggressively.