Primary malignant lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract: a clinicopathological study

ABSTRACT

Fifty two patients with primary lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract collected over 6 years were studied. The mean age of patients was 48.16 +3.2 and the male to female ratio was 3.31. Twenty two lymphomas occurred in the stomach [42.31%]. Only one case of duodenal lymphoma was reported. Small intestinal lymphomas occurred in 18 patients [34.61%], while ileocaecal lymphomas were detected in 6 patients [11.54%] and colonic lymphoma in 6 patients [11.54%]. The commonest type of lymphoma encountered in this study was the intermediate grade [subtypediffuse, large cell]. Low grade lymphoma occurred mainly in the stomach and intermediate grade lymphoma occurred mainly in the small intestine. Favourable prognostic factors included the female sex, gastric lymphoma, low grade lymphoma and the presence of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia