Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment outcome of patients with gastric extra-nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type (EMZBL-MALT). METHODS: Data of 30 patients with gastric EMZBL-MALT diagnosed in Caritas Medical Center between July 1997 and June 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 6.4 years [interquartile range (IQR) 3.9 to 8.9 years] and the median age at time of diagnosis was 71.5 years (IQR 64 to 81 years). All subjects, with investigations done for disease staging, suffered from localized disease (stage I or II1). Helicobacter infection was identified in 67% of subjects. Twenty Helicobacter-positive subjects received Helicobacter eradication treatment and seven Helicobacter-negative subjects received single-agent chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide), with disease remission rates at 85% and 71% respectively. Only one subject died apparently from disease progression. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 75% and 62.5% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter eradication and single-agent chemotherapy were effective treatment modalities for early stage gastric EMZBL-MALT with and without Helicobacter infection respectively. Survival was favorable.