Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a subtype of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma, typically occurring in mucosal sites such as the stomach, salivary glands, and lungs. This study aims to analyze the demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with gastric MALT lymphoma in the United States and evaluate the interaction between age and gender on survival outcomes. AIM: To analyze the demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with gastric MALT lymphoma in the United States and evaluate the interaction between age and gender on survival outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, which included 2453 patients diagnosed with MALT lymphoma from 2010 to 2021. Data were analyzed for demographic factors, tumor characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify predictors of overall mortality and cancer-specific mortality. RESULTS: The study predominantly included Non-Hispanic White patients (62.78%), with nearly equal gender distribution (50.31% females, 49.69% males), and most diagnoses occurring in individuals aged 60-79 years. The majority of tumors were localized (80.07%). Multivariate analysis identified older age, male gender, advanced tumor stage, and socioeconomic factors-such as annual income and marital status-as independent predictors of mortality. No significant interaction between age and gender on mortality outcomes was observed. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic factors, including advanced age, male gender, annual income, and marital status, as well as advanced tumor stage, significantly impacted survival outcomes in patients with MALT lymphoma. Radiotherapy was associated with a reduction in overall mortality. Early detection is crucial for optimizing outcomes, as localized disease responds well to available treatment modalities.