[Primary gastric lymphoma. Personal experience]

The authors report their experience regarding primary gastric lymphoma. The series presented consists of 5 cases: a correct preoperative diagnosis of primary gastric lymphoma was made in one case, whereas pseudolymphoma was hypothesised in a second patient. The remaining three cases were all maltomas. After examining the histological characteristics and classification of primary gastric lymphomas, the authors underline the importance of an early preoperative diagnosis of gastric lymphoma. The repeated use of endoscopic techniques with biopsy compared to radiological examination increases the possibility of diagnosing lymphoma from 20% to 85%. The success rate is further increased if ultrasonic endoscopy is used instead of endoscopy alone, thus making it possible to achieve a 97% diagnostic success rate. The authors then emphasise the fundamental role played by surgery in the treatment of gastric lymphoma. Depending on the depth of neoplastic infiltration, the dimensions of the neoplasia and its multifocality, in localised forms of the antrum (IE, IIE with a low degree of malignancy) surgery consists of resection with partial gastrectomy, provided the resection margins are undamaged, or total gastrectomy in those forms involving the fundus and body of the stomach.