title: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma is a disseminated disease in one third of 158 patients analyzed.
abstract: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-derived lymphoma (MALT lymphoma) is usually a very indolent lymphoma, described as localized at diagnosis and remaining localized for a prolonged period; dissemination occurs only after a long course of evolution. In our database, out of 158 patients with MALT lymphoma, 54 patients presented with a disseminated disease at diagnosis. Of these 54 patients, 17 patients (30%) presented with multiple involved mucosal sites; 37 patients (70%) presented with 1 involved mucosal site, but in 23 of these patients (44%), dissemination of the disease was due to bone marrow involvement; 12 patients (22%) had multiple lymph node involvement; and 2 patients (4%) had nonmucosal site involvement. No significant difference in clinical characteristics (sex, age, performance status, B symptoms) and biological parameters (hemoglobin [Hb] and lactate dehydrogenase levels) was observed between localized or disseminated MALT-lymphoma patients. Only beta2-microglobulin level was significantly more elevated in disseminated disease patients than in localized disease patients. Complete response after the first treatment was achieved in 74% of the patients, and there was no difference between the 2 groups. With a median follow-up of 4 years, the estimated 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were similar in the 2 groups, 86% and 80%, respectively. The median freedom-from-progression survival was 5.6 years for all patients, surprisingly without any difference between localized and disseminated MALT-lymphoma patients. In conclusion, MALT lymphoma is an indolent disease but presents as a disseminated disease in one-third of the cases at diagnosis. The dissemination does not change the outcome of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie and laboratoire d'hématologie, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thieblemont
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dumontet
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moullet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouafia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Felman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salles
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coiffier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin