MALT lymphomas -Treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy: Clinical Features, Prognostic factors and Survival.

OBJECTIVE MALT lymphomas are a group of extranodal indolent lymphomas that usually present as stage IE. To clarify clinical features, treatment alternatives and outcomes, we evaluated 38 patients treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy between 2000 and 2011. PATIENTS AND METHODS MALT lymphoma patients identified according to WHO classification and treated at KCCC between 2000 and 2011 were included in this study. Demographic and clinical data are presented as means or medians. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Survival rates were compared using the log-rank test. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS The median age of the patients was 49 years and the male to female ratio was 2:1. Gastric MALT accounted for 63% of all patients and the most common presenting symptom was abdomen pain and dyspepsia. The common extra gastric sites were salivary glands, lung and orbit. 90% of the patients presented with early stage disease. Two patients had history of pre-existing autoimmune disease. Even among patients who had failed prior antibiotic therapy for Helicobacter pylori, treatment with chemotherapy achieved good results with 5 year survival of 80%. CONCLUSION MALT lymphomas are indolent neoplasm's with excellent long term outcome. There is no significant difference in survival between gastric and extra-gastric MALT lymphoma. KEYWORDS MALT lymphoma, Gastric Neoplasm, H. pylori.