title: Do current indications for surgery of primary gastric lymphoma exist?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the results of our series in order to assess whether surgical excision is still a valid therapeutic option in case the patient needs surgery. Secondarily, to analyze Helicobacter pylori infection rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of 69 consecutive patients having stage IE-IIE primary gastric lymphoma; of these, 65 were treated by gastrectomy between 1974 and 1999. Mean age: 62.6 years (28-85). New staining of paraffin-embedded samples from the surgical specimen were carried out (hematoxiline-eosine, Giemsa, immunohistochemistry) and reviewed. The histological classification was performed according to Isaacson's criteria. The statistical analysis was done by Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests, as well as Kaplan-Meier and Log-Rank tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality was 9.2%. There were non-fatal complications in 10.8%. Helicobacter pylori was identified in 62.7%. Seven patients (11.9%) suffered a relapse. The 5-year survival probability was 87%. The statistical analysis did not show any influences of Ann Arbor stage, gastric wall invasion, Helicobacter pylori infection, histological type, or margin resection involvement on survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical excision provides a high rate of complete remissions and excellent long-term survival with acceptable mortality. Therefore it appears to be a valid treatment in case of emergency surgery, incidental finding, or lack of histological diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery II, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain. cgdrsj@humv.es
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Sanjuán
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trugeda
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Llorca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez-Fleitas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*