title: Gastric MALT lymphoma: a rarity.
abstract: Association of Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infection with gastric 'Mucosa Associated Lymphoid Tissue' (MALT) lymphomas (MALTomas) is well established. In this study the frequency and characteristics of gastric MALToma over a period of 18 years was evaluated. During this period 24 patients with gastric MALToma were diagnosed; out of them, 13 (54.2%) had active H. Pylori infection. The mean and median age was 49.7 and 53.5 years. The male: female ratio was 17:7. The common presenting complaints were epigastric pain (n=10) and dyspepsia (n=9). Endoscopic findings revealed mild gastric hyperemia (n=16), superficial erosions (n=4) and superficial ulcers (n=4). It was concluded that the prevalence of gastric MALToma was very low in contrast to a high H. pylori gastritis in the Pakistani population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Aga Khan University Hosptial, Karachi. shahid.pervez@aku.edu
authors.forename: Shahid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pervez
authors.forename: Naureen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Hina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aaqil
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mumtaz
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siddiq Ullah
authors.forename: Nake
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akhtar
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*