Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma in an Egyptian district : a study using a population-based cancer registry

Abstract EN

Introduction: Gastrointestinal lymphoma (GIL) is the most common extra nodal form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) with geographical and age variation of its various subtypes.

Aim : to study GIL in Gharbiah, Egypt and to recognize the treatments employed and their outcomes including survival.

Methods : this is a retrospective study.

Between 2000 and 2002, 40 adult patients with GIL were identified in the Gharbiah population based cancer registry (GPBCR); 26 cases of whom were treated at Tanta Cancer Center (TCC) Results : GIL in Gharbiah, Egypt represented 6.2 % of all GIT cancers.

The median age was 47 years with slight male predominance.

The commonest primary site was the stomach followed by the colon/rectum then the small intestine (67.5 %, 25 % and 7.5 %, respectively).

The commonest histological subtypes were the diffuse large B-cell (41.5 %) followed by marginal zone B-cell (39 %).

The commonest symptoms were abdominal pains followed by vomiting.

Only 18 % of GILs were surgically resected.

Most patients (77 %) received chemotherapy with a 60% complete response (CR) rate.

Once in CR, relapses are occasional.

The median overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were 31 and 14 months (95 % CI, 13.2–48.7 and 6.4–21.6 months, respectively).

Gastric primary site and diffuse large B cell subtype carry a non-significant worse OS and PFS than those of other sites and subtypes.