Primary extranodal gastrointestinal lymphoma: a single center experience from southern Iran - report of changing epidemiology.

OBJECTIVES Gastrointestinal lymphoma is the most common type of extranodal non-Hogkin's lymphoma. The proportion and different types of primary extranodal gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are different in various geographic locations. Therefore, in this study we tried to evaluate the various types of extranodal gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in affiliated hospitals of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences as the largest referral center in the southern Iran. DESIGN During 5 years (2005 - 2010), the pathology archives and clinical charts of all patients diagnosed with primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the affiliated hospitals of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were evaluated. All demographic and pathologic findings were recorded. RESULTS During these 5 years, there were 110 cases with the diagnosis of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma. The most common location was stomach followed by small intestine and colon. The most common type was diffuse large B cell type. There were only two cases of immunoproliferative small intestinal lymphoma. CONCLUSION The pattern of gastrointestinal lymphoma in Iran is very similar to the Western countries. Compared with 40 years ago, it seems that the epidemiology of this lymphoma has changed.