A case of primary Hodgkin's disease of the stomach

A case of primary Hodgkin's disease, a lymphocyte-predominant entity, occurring in the stomach is described. The patient was a 37-year-old man who complained of general fatigue. Endoscopic biopsy revealed gastric malignant lymphoma. Subtotal gastrectomy and postoperative chemotherapy following a modified CHOP regimen were performed. The patient has been free of recurrence during a follow-up period of 15 months. The preoperative diagnosis of gastric Hodgkin's disease is difficult. Thus far, of 100 cases of gastric Hodgkin's disease reported in Japan, only 3 were diagnosed correctly preoperatively. We also misdiagnosed our case, as B cell type malignant lymphoma, preoperatively. The final diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease of the stomach was made on the basis of histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. Hodgkin's disease of the stomach is rare, and there are histologically similar diseases; Ki-1 lymphoma, adult T cell lymphoma, malignant histiocytosis, and infectious monocytosis. Careful diagnosis is essential thus for Hodgkin's disease of the stomach.