Clinico -pathological patterns of gastric lymphoma in western region of Saudi Arabia

Objective: To determine the clinic-pathological patterns of gastric lymphoma among patients in our region. Methods: This is a retrospective review of 23 patients having gastric lymphoma at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January 2005 to May 2010. The patient's medical records were reviewed for demographic details, clinical presentations, and histopathological diagnoses and management. Results : 23 patients were included, mean age of our patients 51.5 years (range 23 - 80 years). 16 were Males (69.5%) and 7 females (30.5%). Commonest symptom was pain in 21 (91.3%), followed by loss of weight in 20 (86.9%). Diagnosis was made as clinical mass by CT abdomen in 13 (56.5%), by bone marrow in 7 (30.4%) and by upper GI endoscopy in 1 (4.3%). Lymphoma commonly involved gastric body in 12 (52.1%), followed by antrum in 8 (34.7%). B-cell type were found in 18 (78.2%), followed by Non Hodgkin (NHL) in 16 (69.7%). Common stage at presentation was stage III in 52.1%. Majority were high grade in 60.8%. Surgical treatment was done in 30.4% and non-surgical in 69.5%. Conclusion : Most of our patients of gastric lymphoma present with abdominal pain and weight loss and at younger age. Most of the patients were in stage III and were of high grade so, great index of suspicion should be there when patient presents with abdominal pain and weight loss and extensive investigations like CT scan Abdomen and bone marrow should be done at early stage as endoscopy (OGD) failed to diagnose majority of the patients.