title: Surgical resection in the treatment of primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of surgical resection in the treatment of patients with primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin s lymphoma in our institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective study included 79 patients with a histologically confirmed primary gastrointestinal lymphoma, who were diagnosed and treated for the disease in the 1978-1997 period. According to the treatment modality, the patients were divided into surgically treated and surgically non-treated group. Data were analyzed with Fisher s exact test, long-rank test, and Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stomach was the primary site of non-Hodgkin s lymphoma in 45 (57%) patients, small intestine in 19 (24%), and colon in 9 (11%) patients. Six patients (8%) had multifocal disease. There were 56 (71%) patients with stages IE and IIE, and 23 (29%) with stages III and IV. Aggressive histology was found in 51 cases (65%), and low grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in 28 (35%). Helicobacter pylori infection was registered in 20 out of 45 patients with gastric lymphoma. Twenty-six (33%) patients underwent surgical resection followed by chemotherapy, 47 (59%) were treated with chemotherapy alone, and 6 (8%) received antibiotics plus chemotherapy. Fifteen patients needed urgent surgical intervention. The overall response rate was 77%. Complete remission was achieved in 54 (68%) patients and partial remission in 7 (9%). Eighteen patients (23%) experienced progressive disease. A 10-year overall survival (OS) was 63% and event-free survival (EFS) was 52% for all patients. Patients with gastric lymphoma had better OS and EFS than patients with primary lymphoma at other sites (65% vs 42%, and 62 vs 28%, respectively) (p=0.005). A 10-year EFS rates were 58% and 52% for surgically treated and non-treated group, respectively. There was no significant difference between patients with resected and non-resected tumors (p=0.855). Patients with early-stage disease had significantly better OS and PFS than patients with advanced-stage disease (p=0.048).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma can be successfully treated with chemotherapy alone but surgery remains an important therapeutic option for emergency problems. The main prognostic factors were primary tumor site and extent of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Zagreb University Hospital Center and School of Medicine, Kispaticeva 12, Croatia. iradman@inet.hr
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Radman
authors.forename: Jasminka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kovacević-Metelko
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aurer
authors.forename: Damir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nemet
authors.forename: Silva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zupancić-Salek
authors.forename: Vinko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bogdanić
authors.forename: Dubravka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sertić
authors.forename: Mirando
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mrsić
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pulanić
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gasparović
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Labar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*