A clinicopathological study of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma

A retrospective analysis of 48 cases of histologically proven primary gastrointestinal lymphoma was done. The analysis covered a 12-year period from January 1966 through December 1977. Four percent of all malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract were of this type. Males outnumbered females by a ratio of 1.8:1. The mean age of the patients was 21 years. The vagueness and variability of clinical features and nonspecific radiological findings were the main reasons for subjecting all the patients in this series to laparotomy. The most common site of involvement was the ileocecal region, followed by the ileum, the jejunum, and the stomach. Most of the cases were in an advanced stage of the disease as was suggested by the finding of lump in 60% and ascites in 20% of the cases. Radical resection, possible in only six cases, appears to be the best treatment. The effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy were disappointing. Prognostically, cases of localized and polypoidal lesions of the small bowel and Hodgkin lymphoma showed better survival.