Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas presenting with gastrointestinal involvement

Between 1978 and 1983 a total of 33 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) involving the gastrointestinal tract were seen in our institution. Pathological classification was performed according to Kiel. Low grade NHL was diagnosed in 17, high grade NHL in 16 patients. The most frequent histological entity was lymphoplasmocytoid immunocytoma (11 patients). The most common sites of origin were the stomach (23 patients) and the ileocecal region (6 patients). The majority of patients presented with stage I and II disease (20 of 33 patients). As a rule primary therapy consisted of surgery with curative intent. Most of the patients received additional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients with limited disease and complete tumour resection showed long-term survival from 12+ to 57+ months (mean 32.9+ months). Patients with advanced disease (stage III and IV) and only palliative surgery or with lymphoblastic lymphoma had a probability of survival of less than 12 months.