RESUMO
We report the retrospective analysis of 86 patients with primary gastric lymphoma diagnoses in a period of 12 years, that constitute 5.6 percent of malignant gastric lesions diagnosed in that lapse. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy diagnosed a malignant lesion in 93 percent and lymphoma in 36 percent of cases. Endoscopic biopses disclosed malignant lesions in 79 cases (93 percent) and were diagnostic of lymphoma in 70 (82 percent). All patients were operated, including the seven subjects in which the biopsy did not show malignant lesions; the surgical indication on the latter was based in clinical grounds. The macroscopic examination of the surgical piece showed ilcerated lesions in 45 (52 percent) and mixed lesions (ulcerated and protruded with and without multiple erosions) in 15 (18 percent) patients. 17 patients (33 percent) had an early lesion of the MALT type (mucosa associated lymphoid tissue) and 87 percent of lesions were of low or intermediate histological type