Optimal Initial Workup in Patients With Superficial Primary Gastric MALT Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prognosis of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is favorable, especially in the absence of lymph node metastasis (LNM). We investigated LNM incidence and location in superficial type gastric MALT lymphoma. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 450 patients newly diagnosed with gastric MALT lymphoma with tumor infiltration confined to the mucosa or submucosa as evidenced by endoscopic ultrasonography. LNM incidence and location were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 450 patients, most patients (434, 96.4%) were initially LNM negative as confirmed by computed tomography (CT) scanning. Sixteen patients (3.6%) were LNM positive. There was no difference in clinical characteristics between the 2 groups except for the extent of lymphoma involvement and endoscopic findings. Among 41 patients undergoing abdominal/pelvic CT (APCT) only, LNM was detected in 1 (2.4%). There were 8 LNM cases among 238 patients undergoing both APCT and chest CT (3.4%). Among 171 patients undergoing APCT, chest CT, and neck CT, 7 cases of LNM were detected (4.1%). The detection rates for each CT were as follows: abdominal CT, 13/450 (2.9%); chest CT, 6/408 (1.5%); and neck CT, 1/171 (0.6%). Among 6 patients with chest CT-positive findings, 3 showed no evidence of LNM on APCT. CONCLUSION: LNM was an infrequent finding in gastric MALT lymphoma patients with tumor infiltration confined to the mucosa or submucosa. Besides endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography, APCT and chest CT are considered as optimal initial workup modalities in patients with assumed primary superficial gastric MALT lymphoma.

Clinical course of duodenal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: Comparison with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: There are few cases of duodenal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma reported in the literature, and little is known about the clinical course of this disease. Here, we aimed to characterize the clinical features of duodenal MALT lymphoma by comparison with gastric MALT lymphoma. METHODS: Thirteen patients diagnosed with duodenal MALT lymphoma at Asan Medical Center from March 1997 to February 2017 were included in this retrospective study, along with patients with gastric MALT lymphoma, matched by age and sex at a 1:10 ratio. RESULTS: Median age of patients with duodenal MALT lymphoma was 49 (range 20-72) years, and 53.8% (7/13) were male. Comparison of patient characteristics indicated that Helicobacter pylori infection (46.2% vs 90.8%, P < 0.001) and lymph node metastasis (23.1% vs 5.4%, P = 0.049) rates differed between patients with duodenal and gastric MALT lymphoma. Overall complete remission (61.5% vs 86.2%, P = 0.021) and complete remission after initial H. pylori eradication therapy (50% vs 87.7%, P = 0.037) were significantly lower in patients with duodenal than gastric MALT lymphoma. Complications including bleeding, stricture, and transformation to high-grade lymphoma occurred in a total of seven patients (4.9%), with a higher incidence in patients with duodenal than gastric MALT lymphoma (38.5% vs 1.5%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Duodenal MALT lymphoma is very rare, and treatment outcomes appear to be inferior to those of gastric MALT lymphoma.

Removal of a Trigger Cord Stuck between Bands during Endoscopic Multiple-Band Ligation for Treating Esophageal Variceal Hemorrhage.

Endoscopic variceal ligation is the preferred endoscopic treatment method for esophageal variceal bleeding. The incidence of complications such as chest pain, bleeding, stricture formation, and aspiration pneumonia is low. We report a case wherein a malfunctioning multiple-band ligator could have potentially caused damage to the esophageal varices and massive bleeding. The equipment was safely removed using scissors and forceps. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published report detailing the management of a case of esophageal variceal bleeding.

Eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori reinfection in Korea: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Guidelines for selecting the eradication regimen for Helicobacter pylori reinfection remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the eradication rate of H. pylori reinfection in patients with a previous infection successfully eradicated with index triple therapy. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective case-control study. A total of 10 468 H. pylori-infected patients treated with proton-pump inhibitor-based triple eradication therapy at a tertiary medical institution between 2005 and 2016 were enrolled. We reviewed the medical records of the enrolled patients and compared the treatment outcomes in those with H. pylori reinfection after a successful eradication. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori infection was successfully eradicated with the index triple therapy in 7770 patients (74.2%). Among 3567 patients followed up for > 1 year, H. pylori reinfection occurred in 420 (11.8%; 3.06% per person-year) during a median follow-up of 39.1 months (interquartile range, 23.5-58.7 months). Of these patients, 164 received eradication therapy for reinfection (triple therapy in 102 and quadruple therapy in 62) and had follow-up data. Triple therapy showed an eradication rate of 78.4% for H. pylori reinfection, which was not significantly different from that of the index triple therapy (P = 0.394). Quadruple therapy for reinfection exhibited a better eradication rate (87.1%) than triple therapy but without statistical significance (P = 0.237). CONCLUSIONS: Retreatment with triple therapy for H. pylori reinfection after successful eradication of prior infection showed comparable outcomes to the index triple therapy. Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for reinfection tended to have a better eradication rate than did triple therapy.

[A comparative study on serum immunoglobulin and tumor marker levels in the patients with autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatobiliary malignancies].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) often occurs with obstructive jaundice in old age in cases of weight loss, mimicking pancreatobiliary cancer. This study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity serum IgG, IgG4 and CEA, CA 19-9 levels for the diagnosis of AIP and their ability to distinguish AIP from pancreatobiliary cancer. METHODS: The level of serums IgG, IgG4 and CEA, CA 19-9 were measured in 413 patients including 125 with AIP, 201 with pancreatic cancer, and 87 with cholangiocarcinoma. RESULTS: Among AIP patients, 43.2% (54/125) showed elevated IgG levels (≥1,800 mg/dL) and 52% (65/125) showed elevated IgG4 levels (≥135 mg/dL). Sensitivity and specificity of elevated serum IgG for diagnosis AIP were 43% and 88% respectively, and 52% and 97%, respectively for elevated serum IgG4. When the cut-off value of serum IgG4 was raised to 270 mg/dL (twice the upper limit of normal), the specificity improved to 100%. About 25% of the AIP patients showed an increased level of CA 19-9 at >37 U/mL and about 12.2% of them showed an increased level of CA 19-9 at >100 U/mL. On the contrary, only 1.8% of the AIP patients showed an increased level of CEA at >6.0 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: To avoid unnecessary surgeries resulting from a misdiagnosed pancreatobiliary cancer as opposed to AIP, it is necessary to consider both serum immunoglobulin and tumor marker. In particular, because high level of IgG4 (≥270 mg/dL) and CA19-9 (>100 U/mL) are relatively rare in pancreatobiliary cancer and AIP, respectively, they will be helpful in differential diagnosis.