Prognostic characteristics of gastrointestinal tract NK/T-cell lymphoma: an analysis of 47 patients in China.
BACKGROUND
The gastrointestinal tract is the most common primary site of extranodal lymphomas, whereas gastrointestinal natural killer/T-cell (GINKT) lymphomas are relatively rare. To date, neither the prognostic characteristics nor the clinical features or optimal therapeutic approach for GINKT has yet been defined.


METHODS
In this study, a retrospective analysis was carried out on clinical data obtained from 47 patients diagnosed with GINKT lymphoma between May 1999 and August 2011 at West China Hospital.


RESULTS
Patients had a median age of 37 years. Thirty-five of the patients were men (74.5%). The common clinical manifestations included fever (78.7%) and abdominal pain (76.6%). Seventeen patients had intestinal perforation (36.2%). All patients showed ulcerative lesions; the most common site of involvement was the colon (27/47; 57.4%), followed by the jejunoileum and ileocecum (14/47; 29.8%). The median survival period was 2.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.27-29) months. Age, perforation, B syndrome, staging according to Lugano system, and surgery were independent prognostic risk factors for GINKT lymphoma.


CONCLUSIONS
This study concluded that GINKT lymphoma is prone to perforation, hemorrhage, and other complications; moreover, the prognosis is very poor. The Lugano staging is a relatively suitable staging system. Surgery before perforation is a key therapy factor that affected prognosis. Although the roles played by chemotherapy and radiotherapy are unclear, combination therapy is necessary.
West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
Ming
M
Jiang
Xinchuan
X
Chen
Zhihui
Z
Yi
Xue
X
Zhang
Bo
B
Zhang
Feng
F
Luo
Yu
Y
Jiang
Liqun
L
Zou
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult