title: Treatment of low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma using Helicobacter pylori eradication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) of the stomach usually occurs as a consequence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of treatment of low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma with the H. pylori eradication method.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the period 2002-2012 in 20 patients with dyspepsia, mean age 55.1 years, the endoscopic and histologic diagnosis of gastric MALT lymphoma in the early stages were made. Histological preparations of endoscopic biopsy specimens were stained with hematoxyllineosin (HE), histochemical and immunohistochemical methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endoscopic findings of gastritis were documented in 25% of the patients, and 75% of the patients had hypertrophic folds, severe mucosal hyperemia, fragility, nodularity, exulcerations and rigidity. Histopathologically, pathognomonic diagnostic criterion were infiltration and destruction of glandular epithelium with neoplastic lymphoid cells, the so-called lymphoepithelial lesions. In all 20 patients H. pylori was verified by rapid urease test and Giemsa stain. After the triple eradication therapy complete remission of MALT lymphoma was achieved in 85% of the patients, with no recurrence of lymphoma and H. pyloi infection in the average follow-up period of 48 months. In 3 (15%) of the patients, there was no remission of MALT lymphoma 12 months after the eradication therapy. Of these 3 patients 2 had progression of MALT lymphoma to diffuse large-cell lymphoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Durable complete remission of low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma is achieved in a high percentage after eradication of H. pylori infection, thus preventing the formation of diffuse large-cell lymphoma and gastric adenocarcinoma.
authors.forename: Saša
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grgov
authors.forename: Vuka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Katić
authors.forename: Miljan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krstić
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagorni
authors.forename: Biljana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Radovanović-Dinić
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tasić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017291:Clarithromycin