PRIMARY NON-HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMAS OF GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT – A CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL STUDY

This study aims to retrospectively review the pattern of patients with various gastro- intestinal lymphomas seen in King Abdul Aziz Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from June 1990 to June 2002 with a view to determine and analyse various clinical and pathological aspects of this disease. All cases of Primary non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of gastro-intestinal tract received and diagnosed in Histopathology department of King Abdul Aziz Hospital, Jeddah, between June 1990 and June 2002 were retrospectively reviewed and the data was analysed to determine age, gender, ethnicity, clinical presentation, anatomical localization, histological type and Helicobacter pylori status. A total of 47 patients were retrieved for this study, with 85.10% being Saudi nationals. The male to female ratio was 1 : 0.74%. The mean age was 52.44 years. The peak age of onset was in the 6th decade. About 45% of our patients had gastric lymphoma, whereas 20.53% had small bowel lymphoma. Among the total number of patients, 46.81% men had MALT type lymphomas. Helicobacter pylori were positive in all patients with gastric lymphoma. Gastrointestinal lymphomas are frequently seen in patients in Saudi Arabia, with MALT gastric lymphoma being the commonest tumour. The strong association between H. Pylori and gastric lymphoma as an important aetiological factor is emphasized