Regression of primary gastric lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type after cure of Helicobacter pylori infection. MALT Lymphoma Study Group

Clinical outcomes of radiation therapy for early-stage gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma

AIM: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of radiation therapy (RT) for early-stage gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma).

METHODS: The records of 64 patients treated between 1998 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. For Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive patients (n = 31), chemotherapy or H. pylori eradication therapy was the initial treatment. In patients with failure after H. pylori eradication, RT was performed. For H. pylori-negative patients (n = 33), chemotherapy or RT was the first-line treatment. The median RT dose was 36 Gy. The target volume included the entire stomach and the perigastric lymph node area.

RESULTS: All of the patients completed RT without interruption and showed complete remission on endoscopic biopsy after treatment. Over a median follow-up period of 39 mo, the 5-year local control rate was 89%. Salvage therapy was successful in all relapsed patients. Secondary malignancies developed in three patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 94%. No patient presented symptoms of moderate-to-severe treatment-related toxicities during or after RT.

CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy results in favorable clinical outcomes in patients with early-stage gastric MALToma who experience failure of H. pylori eradication therapy and those who are H. pylori negative.

Do we eradicate Helicobacter pylori in hospitalized patients with peptic ulcer disease?

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection is the most common chronic infection in humans. It is a major contributor to the cause of duodenal and gastric ulcers worldwide. Its eradication has been shown to reduce rates of H pylori-related ulcers as well as other complications such as gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate of appropriate treatment in patients following a diagnosis of H pylori infection on biopsy during esophagoduodenoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding over a four-year period at a tertiary centre in Vancouver, British Columbia. Also evaluated was the rate of eradication confirmation using the urea breath test.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 1501 inpatients who underwent esophagoduodenoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (January 2006 to December 2010) was undertaken. Patients who were biopsy stain positive for H pylori were selected for drug review either via a provincial database (PharmaNet) or via records from patients' family practitioners. Data were also obtained via two provincial laboratories that perform the urea breath test to determine the rates of confirmation of eradication.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight patients had biopsy-proven H pylori. The mean (± SD) age was 56.13±17.9 years and 65 were male. Data were not available for 22 patients; the treatment rate was 52.6% (40 of 76). Of those treated, 12 patients underwent a post-treatment urea breath test for eradication confirmation.

CONCLUSION

There was substantial discrepancy between the number of diagnosed H pylori infections and the rate of treatment as well as confirmation of eradication. Numerous approaches could be taken to improve treatment and eradication confirmation.

Identification of a new class of adenosine deaminase from Helicobacter pylori with homologs among diverse taxa

Early studies of Helicobacter pylori's nutritional requirements alluded to a complete purine salvage network in this organism. Recently, this hypothesis was confirmed in two strains of H. pylori, whose purine requirements were satisfied by any single purine base or nucleoside. Most of the purine conversion enzymes in H. pylori have been studied using mutant analysis; however, the gene encoding adenosine deaminase (ADD) in H. pylori remained unidentified. Through stepwise protein purification followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), we discovered that H. pylori ADD is encoded by hp0267, an apparently essential gene. Hp0267 shares no sequence homology with previously characterized ADDs, yet both are members of the amidohydrolase superfamily. Hp0267 is grouped within cog0402, while other ADDs studied to date are found in cog1816. The hp0267 locus was previously misannotated as encoding a chlorohydrolase. Using purified recombinant Hp0267, we determined the enzyme's pH optimum, temperature optimum, substrate specificity, and estimated kinetic constants. In contrast to other known ADDs, Hp0267 contains Fe(II) as the relevant metal ligand. Furthermore, Hp0267 exhibits very low deaminase activity on 2'-deoxyadenosine, a substrate that is readily hydrolyzed by cog1816 ADDs. Our preliminary comparative genomic analysis suggests that Hp0267 represents a second enzyme class of adenosine deaminase whose phyletic distribution among prokaryotes is broad.

Characteristics of Helicobacter pylori-positive and Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and their influence on clinical outcome

BACKGROUND

To compare clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics of low-grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma depending on Helicobacter pylori positivity and to find out a predictive factor for unresponsiveness to Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Korea.

METHODS

A total of 53 Helicobacter pylori-positive and 13 negative mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma patients were enrolled, and tissues from 21 patients were investigated to examine the presence of t(11;18)(q21;q21) with fluorescence in situ hybridization. Clinicopathologic features such as the endoscopic appearance, dominant site of lesion, depth of invasion, clinical stage, and the existence of MALT1 gene rearrangement were compared between these two groups. Fifty-six patients who underwent H. pylori eradication therapy were divided into responder and nonresponder groups. The two groups were analyzed to calculate odds ratios for resistance to the eradication.

RESULTS

Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma patients averaged a more advanced clinical stage than H. pylori-positive (p = .023) patients. The frequency of t(11;18)/API2-MALT1 did not differ between H. pylori-positive (45.5%) and H. pylori-negative cases (55.6%). Thirty-eight of 51 (74.5%) H. pylori-positive patients achieved complete regression after the eradication, while 2 of 5 (40%) H. pylori-negative patients obtained regression. Presence of lesions in both distal and proximal parts of stomach (p = .041) and bearing of t(11;18)(q21;q21) (p = .007) were predictors for nonresponsiveness for H. pylori eradication.

CONCLUSIONS

Helicobacter pylori eradication could be performed as a primary therapy regardless of H. pylori status, and assessing t(11;18)/API2-MALT1 would be considered after failure to remission by H. pylori eradication.

Treatment of gastric MALT lymphoma with a focus on Helicobacter pylori eradication

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is an indolent disease with a prolonged clinical course that most often involves the stomach. Clinically, for Helicobacter pylori-positive low-grade MALT lymphoma, antibiotics have been used as the first-line treatment. The recommended anti-Helicobacter triple drug therapy includes a proton pump inhibitor (or ranitidine bismuth citrate), clarithromycin, and amoxicillin (or metronidazole). Considering the difficulty involved with confirming histological remission and the lack of systemic endoscopic follow-up, much work remains to be done in this area. This review describes MALT lymphoma treatment methods and their efficacy, highlights results of the newest studies, and proposes avenues toward future developments in this field.

Non-gastric advanced mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma has worse prognosis than gastric MALT lymphoma even when treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics, treatment results, and analyze the prognostic factors among patients with extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma). We retrospectively reviewed 98 patients with MALT lymphoma consecutively diagnosed at the Cancer Institute Hospital. Eighty-one patients (82%) had localized disease and 17 patients (17%) had advanced disease. The primary site was gastric in 52, and extra-gastric in 46. With a median follow-up of 40 months, the estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) of the entire group were 100% and 89%, respectively. Three-year PFS was significantly better in patients with gastric lymphoma than in those with non-gastric lymphoma (95% vs. 82%, p = 0.043). Patients with localized disease had significantly better 3-year PFS than those with advanced disease (94% vs. 73%, p = 0.026). Upon multivariate analysis, non-gastric lymphoma retained prognostic significance for PFS.

Regression of follicular lymphoma of the duodenum following eradication of H. pylori infection

A 64-year-old woman was referred for an examination of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Endoscopy showed an elevated lesion in the duodenum with central depression and multiple white granules. Biopsy specimens revealed lymphoid follicles composed predominantly of centrocytes with scattered centroblasts. The tumor cells were positive for bcl-2. The patient was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma and underwent antibiotic therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The regression of the lesion was obvious. After 5.5 years of follow-up, there has been no evidence of recurrence. This case suggests that H. pylori eradication therapy is effective for treating follicular lymphoma in the duodenum.

Hepatic dysfunction after radiotherapy for primary gastric lymphoma

Patients with primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) are often treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in three to four fields to reduce the dose to the left kidney. However, the liver dose is higher than conventional parallel-opposed fields. This study was designed to evaluate hepatic dysfunction after 3D-CRT in patients with PGL. The data of 20 PGL patients treated with 3D-CRT were analyzed. Of the 20 patients, 3 had mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and 17 had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The median dose used to treat MALT lymphoma was 30 Gy and 40 Gy for DLBCL. Pretreatment and post-treatment transaminase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values were compared. Radiation-induced hepatic dysfunction (RIHD) was defined as a more than 2-fold increase in transaminase or ALP levels, exceeding the upper limit within 4 months of the completion of radiotherapy. Increased transaminase or ALP levels were observed in 19 patients (95%). RIHD was observed in 14 patients (70%). The transaminase and ALP values were significantly different between pretreatment and post-treatment. There were significant differences in liver volumes receiving ≥5, ≥10, ≥15 and ≥20 Gy (V5, V10, V15 and V20) and in the mean liver doses between patients with and without RIHD. For patients with V10 > 60%, V15 > 50% or V20 > 30% in particular, the incidence rates of RIHD were significantly high. After radiotherapy for PGL, hepatic dysfunction occurred at a high rate. Thus, radiotherapy treatment should be planned in order to reduce liver doses.

A rare case of primary extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the ovary, fallopian tube, and appendix in the setting of endometriosis

Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas are uncommon. Most occur in the gastrointestinal tract. Marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of the female genital tract are rare, and few cases exist of marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of the uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes. We report the first marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the ovary, fallopian tube, and appendix arising in endometriosis.

Toward a general evolutionary theory of oncogenesis

We propose an evolutionary framework, the barrier theory of cancer, which is based on the distinction between barriers to oncogenesis and restraints. Barriers are defined as mechanisms that prevent oncogenesis. Restraints, which are more numerous, inhibit but do not prevent oncogenesis. Processes that compromise barriers are essential causes of cancer; those that interfere with restraints are exacerbating causes. The barrier theory is built upon the three evolutionary processes involved in oncogenesis: natural selection acting on multicellular organisms to mold barriers and restraints, natural selection acting on infectious organisms to abrogate these protective mechanisms, and oncogenic selection which is responsible for the evolution of normal cells into cancerous cells. The barrier theory is presented as a first step toward the development of a general evolutionary theory of cancer. Its attributes and implications for intervention are compared with those of other major conceptual frameworks for understanding cancer: the clonal diversification model, the stem cell theory and the hallmarks of cancer. The barrier theory emphasizes the practical value of distinguishing between essential and exacerbating causes. It also stresses the importance of determining the scope of infectious causation of cancer, because individual pathogens can be responsible for multiple essential causes in infected cells.

Helicobacter pylori in gastric malignancies

Helicobacter pylori infection remains common worldwide and is significantly associated with gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)lymphoma. This article reviews recent developments in the field of H. pylori with an emphasis on mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and the bacterial, environmental and host factors that may alter risk of developing gastric cancer or gastric MALT lymphoma. The topic of eradication of H. pylori to prevent the development of malignancy and the possibility of a vaccine against H. pylori are also explored.

Marginal zone lymphoma: old, new, targeted, and epigenetic therapies

Marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) is an indolent B-cell lymphoma arising from marginal zone B-cells present in lymph nodes and extranodal tissues. MZL comprises 5-17% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in adults. The World Health Organization categorizes MZL into three distinct types based on their site of impact: (1) splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL); (2) nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL); (3) extranodal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, which can be subdivided into gastric and nongastric. The subgroups of MZL share some common features but are different in their biology and behavior. Owing to the rarity of MZL there are few randomized trials available comparing various treatment options and therefore treatment is controversial, lacking standard guidelines. Treatment should be patient tailored and can range from a 'watchful waiting' approach for asymptomatic patients without cytopenias to surgery or localized radiation therapy. Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy has resulted in longer failure-free survival than chemotherapy alone in patients with SMZL. Helicobacter pylori positive gastric MALT shows a good response rate to triple antibiotic therapy. Newer therapies such as bendamustine, everolimus, lenalidomide, vorinostat and phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors are in clinical trials for patients with relapsed or refractory MZL and have shown promising results. We are presently conducting clinical trials testing the efficacy of the epigenetic activity of cladribine as a hypomethylating agent in combination with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) vorinostat and rituximab in patients with MZL. Further studies with the newer agents should be done both in newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory MZL to streamline the care and to avoid the use of toxic chemotherapies as initial treatment.

Second cancers and residual disease in patients treated for gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma by Helicobacter pylori eradication and followed for 10 years

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Cure of Helicobacter pylori infection induces remission in most patients with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (GML) that is associated with these bacteria. We determined the long-term outcomes of these patients in a prospective multicenter trial and investigated whether they developed second cancers or had histologic residual disease.

METHODS

We followed 120 patients with stage EI1 GML for a median of 122 months after H pylori eradication (range, 1-171 months). Remission was determined by histology analysis and development of second cancers was documented.

RESULTS

Of the patients, 80% (96 of 120) achieved complete remission from GML, and 80% of those (77 of 96) remained disease free. Estimated mean survival time in the Kaplan-Meier analysis was 147 months (95% confidence interval: 138-156 months). Of the patients that achieved complete remission, 17% (16 of 96) had histologic residual disease after a median of 32 months (range, 3-68 months). Disease did not progress in any of these patients, and all but 1 achieved a second complete remission (median duration, 46 months). Standardized morbidity ratios revealed a significantly higher incidence of gastric cancer (8.567; 95% confidence interval, 3.566-20.582) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (18.621; 95% confidence interval: 8.365-41.448) in the 96 patients that achieved a complete remission, compared with the general German population.

CONCLUSIONS

Cure of H pylori infection leads to continuous complete remission in most patients with H pylori-associated GML. Patients are at risk for development of secondary cancers (ie, gastric cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma).

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Lymphomas are solid tumours of the immune system. Hodgkin's lymphoma accounts for about 10% of all lymphomas, and the remaining 90% are referred to as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas have a wide range of histological appearances and clinical features at presentation, which can make diagnosis difficult. Lymphomas are not rare, and most physicians, irrespective of their specialty, will probably have come across a patient with lymphoma. Timely diagnosis is important because effective, and often curative, therapies are available for many subtypes. In this Seminar we discuss advances in the understanding of the biology of these malignancies and new, available treatments.

Lymphomas of the upper GI tract: the role of radiotherapy

The most common site of extra-nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is the gastrointestinal tract, of which the stomach is the most common site. With the exception of extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), where excellent long term results can be achieved by radiotherapy, the published literature lacks high quality studies evaluating the role, optimal dose and technique of such treatment in the management of gastro-intestinal lymphoma. Non-randomised studies support organ preservation and a role for local radiotherapy in gastric lymphoma.

[Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Korea]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is known to be associated with many gastrointestinal diseases including peptic ulcer. In Korea, eradication of H. pylori is recommended for peptic ulcer disease, low grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and early gastric cancer. Standard triple therapy using proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin and bismuth-containing quadruple therapy have been the main first-line and second-line therapy for H. pylori in Korea. Although eradication rate of second-line quadruple therapy remains similar to that of the past, the success rate of eradication with triple therapy has decreased with increasing antimicrobial resistance to H. pylori. There is no standard third-line therapy, and some regimens that incorporate levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and rifabutin can be used. New regimens such as sequential or concomitant therapy are suggested as alternative treatment for H. pylori. We need more well designed randomized controlled studies to choose proper treatment for H. pylori infection.

Review article: common misconceptions in the management of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric MALT-lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection is the main cause of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.

AIM

To review several common misconceptions in the management of H. pylori-associated gastric MALT-lymphoma.

METHODS

Bibliographical searches were performed in MEDLINE up to June 2011.

RESULTS

If adequate diagnostic methods are used, and if only low-grade lymphomas are considered, the prevalence of H. pylori infection is very high (almost 90%). H. pylori eradication is effective in treating approximately 80% of patients with early stage lymphoma. In H. pylori-positive gastric high-grade lymphomas, antibiotic therapy should always be prescribed, as approximately 50% of them regress after H. pylori eradication. Patients with early stage MALT lymphoma negative for H. pylori might still benefit from antibiotic treatment as the sole treatment. Complete remission of gastric MALT lymphoma after H. pylori eradication can take even >12 months. PCR assay for the detection of monoclonal B cells remains positive in many cases after complete remission has been reached. Patients with a persistent clonal band should not be treated unless the lymphoma can be histologically demonstrated. Synchronous occurrence of gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma has been repeatedly reported. In some patients in complete remission, eradication of H. pylori does not prevent later development of early gastric cancer. Gastric lymphoma recurrence occurs in some patients after both bacterial and lymphoma regression. H. pylori reinfection does not constitute a prerequisite for lymphoma recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The present article states several misconceptions in the management of H. pylori-associated gastric MALT-lymphoma in clinical practice, reviews the related scientific evidence and proposes the adequate attitude in each case.

Synchronous indolent primary gastrointestinal lymphomas managed successfully with conservative measures

We report the case of a 65-year-old man who presented with epigastric pain and guaic-positive stool. Upper and lower endoscopy revealed abnormalities in the gastric antrum and terminal ileum. Biopsy of these sites revealed histologically and immunophenotypically distinct lymphomas: gastric extranodal marginal zone lymphoma in the background of Helicobacter pylori infection and follicular lymphoma of the terminal ileum. After treatment with an H. pylori eradication regimen, repeat endoscopy showed resolution of the gastric extranodal marginal zone lymphoma and persistence of the ileal follicular lymphoma. Interestingly, molecular studies performed on the biopsy specimens revealed a common IgH rearrangement, suggesting a common precursor cell responsible for these two malignant processes. We present this unique case with a review of the literature, highlighting treatment principles for these two subtypes of indolent gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The effect of age and Helicobacter pylori infection on gastric epithelial cell kinetics

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection is a known risk factor for gastric cancer. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of H. pylori and age on gastric epithelial cell kinetics.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty-seven patients (92 men, median age: 58.5 years, range: 18-85) who had undergone upper gastrointestinal endoscopy due to dyspeptic symptoms were enrolled into the study. Six antral biopsy samples were obtained for flow cytometric DNA analysis (expressed as proliferative index [PI], S+G2/M phase), presence of H. pylori (CLO-test, culture and histology), and histopathologic examination.

RESULTS

Eighty-four (53.5%) patients were H. pylori positive and 93.3% of patients had diploid pattern and 6.7% expressed aneuploid pattern. The mean PI was 4.8 ± 0.2 for the whole group studied. PI were 5.14 ± 0.33 and 4.26 ± 0.36 for H. pylori (+) and H. pylori (-) patients respectively (P = 0.017). When age groups were taken into account, PI was found higher in patients over 75 years of age (n = 14, PI = 6.66 ± 1.3) compared to patients under 35 years of age (n = 25, PI = 3.83 ± 0.41, P = 0.014). There was no correlation between histological changes and PI. H. pylori (P = 0.045) and age (P = 0.082) were independent factors for PI.

CONCLUSION

PI of gastric antral mucosa increases in patients with H. pylori infection. Although PI increases by age, H. pylori is the only factor that significantly and independently influences the rate of epithelial cell proliferation.

Treatment of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue with fludarabine: effect on tumor microenvironment

Gastric Helicobacter pylori (HP) positive extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) develops during chronic antigenic stimulation with specific T-cell help. Chemotherapy that acts both on the malignant B-cells and on T-cells in the microenvironment, i.e. nucleoside analogs, might therefore be an attractive treatment. In 14 patients with gastric MALT lymphoma treated with fludarabine, alterations in T-cell subsets were studied in subsequent peripheral blood samples and in gastric biopsies. Treatment with fludarabine resulted in a steep decrease in T-cell subsets in peripheral blood samples. By contrast no decrease in T-cell populations was observed in subsequent gastric biopsy samples and a moderate increase was observed in relative infiltration with CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + cells. In addition an increase in density of FOXP3 + cells (i.e. Tregs) was seen (p = 0.047). These alterations in different T-cell subsets were not observed in gastric biopsy samples of patients treated with HP-eradication only.

Miscellaneous disorders and their management in gastric surgery: volvulus, carcinoid, lymphoma, gastric varices, and gastric outlet obstruction

This article focuses on less common diseases that surgeons are called on for management options. Five topics-volvulus, carcinoid, lymphoma, gastric varices, and gastric outlet obstruction from peptic ulcer disease-are frequently used to evaluate surgical knowledge. Knowledge of these topics is useful for residents preparing for an in-training examination or board certification. Patients with these diseases require multidisciplinary management with oncologists and/or gastroenterologists, and mastery of these topics allows surgeons to effectively participate in the multidisciplinary care of these patients and advocate for surgical management when appropriate.

[Pulmonary non-infectious diseases in common variable immunodeficiency]

Few studies have described pulmonary non-infectious diseases (PNID) in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Indeed the most frequent complications in these patients are infectious. The aim of our study is to analyze the characteristics of PNID in a retrospective study of patients with CVID of two pneumology departments in Paris (France), from 1990 to 2008. PNID was observed in 11 patients. Mean immunoglobulin serum level was 3.46g/L. The PNID observed were: arteriovenous pulmonary fistula: three; interstitial lung disease: three; asthma: two; mediastinal lymphadenopathy: four; emphysema: one; mesothelioma: one. Our study outlines the broad spectrum of pulmonary manifestations related to CVID. Clinicians should be aware of the diagnosis of PNID even in patients without classic infectious manifestations.

Alaska sentinel surveillance study of Helicobacter pylori isolates from Alaska Native persons from 2000 to 2008

Helicobacter pylori infection is more common in Alaska Native persons than in the general U.S. population, with seroprevalence to H. pylori approaching 75%. Previous studies in Alaska have demonstrated elevated proportions of antimicrobial resistance among H. pylori isolates. We analyzed H. pylori data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's sentinel surveillance in Alaska from January 2000 to December 2008 to determine the proportion of culture-positive biopsy specimens with antimicrobial resistance from Alaska Native persons undergoing endoscopy. The aim of the present study was to monitor antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori isolates over time and by region in Alaska Native persons. Susceptibility testing of H. pylori isolates to metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and tetracycline was performed using agar dilution. Susceptibility testing for levofloxacin was performed by Etest. Overall, 45% (532/1,181) of persons undergoing upper endoscopy were culture positive for H. pylori. Metronidazole resistance was demonstrated in isolates from 222/531 (42%) persons, clarithromycin resistance in 159/531 (30%) persons, amoxicillin resistance in 10/531 (2%) persons, and levofloxacin resistance in 30/155 (19%) persons; no tetracycline resistance was documented. The prevalence of metronidazole, clarithromycin, and levofloxacin resistance varied by region. Female patients were more likely than male patients to demonstrate metronidazole (P < 0.05) and clarithromycin (P < 0.05) resistance. No substantial change in the proportion of persons with resistant isolates was observed over time. Resistance to metronidazole, clarithromycin, and levofloxacin is more common among H. pylori isolates from Alaska Native persons than those from elsewhere in the United States.

Extranodal MALT Lymphoma of the Right Triceps Muscle following Influenza Vaccine Injection: A Rare Case with an Interesting Presentation

The study describes a case of a 67-year-old female who developed a Stage I E marginal zone lymphoma of the right triceps muscle 1 month after influenza vaccination at the same site. She was treated with single modality, involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) to 4000 cGy in 20 fractions with excellent response and no evidence of disease after one year followup.

[Helicobacter pylori eradication for stage I(E₁) gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: predictive factors of complete remission]

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is accepted as initial treatment of stage I(E₁) gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. However, 10-20% of gastric low grade MALT lymphomas are unresponsive to H. pylori eradication treatment. The aim of this study was to find out the predictive factors of complete remission of gastric MALT lymphoma after H. pylori eradication.

METHODS

From 1995 to 2006, consecutive 95 patients with modified Ann Arbor stage I(E₁) gastric MALT lymphoma were enrolled, and their medical records were reviewed. The patients were initially treated by H. pylori eradication. The complete remission was determined by endoscopic and histologic finding.

RESULTS

Eighty eight patients (92.6%) achieved complete remission after H. pylori eradication therapy. Mean follow up time for these patients was 40+/-25 months. Seven patients (7.4%) failed to achieve complete remission. There was no significant difference in the age, sex, endoscopic appearance, and large cell component between the remission group and failure group. Among 66 patients with distal tumor, 65 patients (98.5%) achieved complete remission. On the other hand, among 13 patient with proximal tumor, 9 patients (69.2%) achieved complete remission (p=0.001). The odds ratio of proximal tumor for H. pylori eradication failure was 28.9 (95% CI=2.9-288.0).

CONCLUSIONS

The proximally location of MALT lymphoma is a risk factor of the H. pylori eradication treatment failure. Therefore, the proximally located gastric MALT lymphoma should be carefully treated and followed.

Diffuse duodenal nodular lymphoid hyperplasia: a large cohort of patients etiologically related to Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND

Nodular lymphoid hyperplasia of gastrointestinal tract is a rare disorder, often associated with immunodeficiency syndromes. There are no published reports of its association with Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

From March 2005 till February 2010, we prospectively followed all patients with diffuse duodenal nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (DDNLH). Patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with targeted biopsies, colonoscopy, and small bowel video capsule endoscopy. Duodenal nodular lesions were graded from 0 to 4 based on their size and density. Patients were screened for celiac sprue (IgA endomysial antibody), immunoglobulin abnormalities (immunoglobulin levels & serum protein electrophoresis), small intestine bacterial overgrowth (lactulose hydrogen breath test), and Helicobacter pylori infection (rapid urease test, and histological examination of gastric biopsies). Patients infected with Helicobacter pylori received sequential antibiotic therapy and eradication of infection was evaluated by 14C urea breath test. Follow up duodenoscopies with biopsies were performed to ascertain resolution of nodular lesions.

RESULTS

Forty patients (Males 23, females 17; mean age ± 1SD 35.6 ± 14.6 years) with DDNLH were studied. Patients presented with epigastric pain, vomiting, and weight loss. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed diffuse nodular lesions (size varying from 2 to 5 mm or more) of varying grades (mean score ± 1SD 2.70 ± 0.84) involving postbulbar duodenum. Video capsule endoscopies revealed nodular disease exclusively limited to duodenum. None of the patients had immunoglobulin deficiency or small intestine bacterial overgrowth or positive IgA endomysial antibodies. All patients were infected with Helicobacter pylori infection. Sequential antibiotic therapy eradicated Helicobacter pylori infection in 26 patients. Follow up duodenoscopies in these patients showed significant reduction of duodenal nodular lesions score (2.69 ± 0.79 to 1.50 ± 1.10; p < 0.001). Nodular lesions showed complete resolution in 5 patients and significant resolution in remaining 21 patients. Patients with resistant Helicobacter pylori infection showed no significant reduction of nodular lesions score (2.71 ± 0.96 to 2.64 ± 1.15; p = 0.58). Nodules partially regressed in score in 2 patients, showed no interval change in 10 patients and progressed in 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We report on a large cohort of patients with DDNLH, etiologically related to Helicobacter pylori infection.

Risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori infection treatment failure in a high prevalence area

Triple therapy is commonly used for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. We determined risk factors associated with its failure in compliant patients focusing on H. pylori density, virulence marker and 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) point mutations associated with clarithromycin resistance. H. pylori infection was diagnosed by 14C urea breath test (14C UBT) and rapid urease test or histology. Triple therapy with esomeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. was prescribed for 10 days. 14C UBT was repeated 4 weeks after treatment. In total, 111 patients [69 (62%) males] with a mean age of 46±16 years were enrolled. The mean age of treatment failure was 39±14 years compared to 48±16 years with eradication (P=0·002). Treatment failure was associated with younger mean age, point mutations in the 23S rRNA gene of H. pylori and vacA s1a and m1 when associated with cagA negativity.

Treatment of gastric marginal zone lymphoma of MALT type

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Gastric marginal zone lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT type) represent approximately half of all cases of lymphomas arising in the stomach. They have been strongly associated with chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) gastritis. Treatment aimed at eradicating this infection results in lymphoma remissions in the majority of patients (approximately 80%) and this represents a unique case of anticancer treatment based on the eradication of the causing factor.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

The effects of H. pylori eradication in suppressing the growth of this lymphoma with particular emphasis on the long-term disease control results are presented in this review. Trials of different treatment modalities for patients not responding to antibiotics are also covered.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

Understanding of the effects of H. pylori eradication on suppressing the growth of gastric MALT lymphoma. Readers will learn how to distinguish between clinical, histological and molecular remission of the lymphoma and will learn alternative treatments for patients with H. pylori-negative disease and for cases not responding to eradication.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Gastric MALT lymphoma has an indolent course and most patients can achieve durable disease control after only anti-H. pylori therapy. For patients not responding to antibiotics, randomized trials are needed to define the best treatment modality.

Uptake of Helicobacter pylori outer membrane vesicles by gastric epithelial cells

Helicobacter pylori bacteria colonize the human stomach where they stimulate a persistent inflammatory response. H. pylori is considered noninvasive; however, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-enriched outer membrane vesicles (OMV), continuously shed from the surface of this bacterium, are observed within gastric epithelial cells. The mechanism of vesicle uptake is poorly understood, and this study was undertaken to examine the roles of bacterial VacA cytotoxin and LPS in OMV binding and cholesterol and clathrin-mediated endocytosis in vesicle uptake by gastric epithelial cells. OMV association was examined using a fluorescent membrane dye to label OMV, and a comparison was made between the associations of vesicles from a VacA(+) strain and OMV from a VacA(-) isogenic mutant strain. Within 20 min, essentially all associated OMV were intracellular, and vesicle binding appeared to be facilitated by the presence of VacA cytotoxin. Uptake of vesicles from the VacA(+) strain was inhibited by H. pylori LPS (58% inhibition with 50 μg/ml LPS), while uptake of OMV from the VacA(-) mutant strain was less affected (25% inhibition with 50 μg/ml LPS). Vesicle uptake did not require cholesterol. However, uptake of OMV from the VacA(-) mutant strain was inhibited by a reduction in clathrin-mediated endocytosis (42% with 15 μg/ml chlorpromazine), while uptake of OMV from the VacA(+) strain was less affected (25% inhibition with 15 μg/ml chlorpromazine). We conclude that VacA toxin enhances the association of H. pylori OMV with cells and that the presence of the toxin may allow vesicles to exploit more than one pathway of internalization.

Effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication in chronic urticaria: evidence-based analysis using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic urticaria is a common and often frustrating condition that physicians encounter in the outpatient setting. Its management continues to be a challenge, and an exogenous cause for chronic urticaria is only found rarely. Helicobacter pylori has been implicated as a factor for many disorders and proposed as an etiologic factor for chronic urticaria. We aim to provide a comprehensive review of the data on H. pylori eradication for treatment of chronic urticaria by utilizing the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to analyze and determine the quality of evidence for this proposed therapy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although H. pylori eradication has been recommended as part of routine chronic urticaria management by multiple authors, the trials of H. pylori eradication in the treatment of chronic urticaria have yielded conflicting results and suffer from substantial methodological limitations.

SUMMARY

Our critical appraisal of the 10 trials showing the benefit of H. pylori eradication in patients with chronic urticaria leads to an overall very low grade for this intervention. Appraisal of nine studies in which H. pylori eradication showed no benefit in the course of chronic urticaria also leads to an overall very low grade. The evidence that H. pylori eradication leads to improvement of chronic urticaria outcomes is weak and conflicting; this leads to a weak recommendation for routine H. pylori eradication for patients with chronic urticaria. For this reason, a decision to proceed with this management should be considered carefully in the context of relative harms/burdens and benefits, as well as patient values and preferences.

Long-term outcome in localized extranodal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas treated with radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term outcomes in patients with stage IE and IIE mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas treated with involved field radiotherapy (RT).

METHODS

Between 1989 and 2004, 192 patients with stage I and II MALT lymphomas were treated. The report focuses on 167 patients who received RT. The median age of patients was 58 years with a female predominance (2:1). Presenting sites were as follows: orbital adnexa in 71 patients, salivary glands in 28 patients, stomach in 25 patients, thyroid in 21 patients, and other sites in 22 patients. The median dose to nonorbital sites was 30 grays (Gy) (range, 17.5-35 Gy) and was 25 Gy for the orbit (range, 25-35 Gy). The median follow-up was 7.4 years (range, 0.67-16.20 years).

RESULTS

Complete response and complete response, unconfirmed (CR/CRu) was noted in 166 (99%) patients. The 10-year recurrence-free rate (RFR) was 76%, the disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 68%, the overall survival (OS) rate was 87%, and the cause-specific survival rate was 98%. According to presenting site, the 10-year RFR was 95% for thyroid, 92% for stomach, 68% for salivary glands, and 67% for orbit. Patients with thyroid and gastric MALTs had better outcome compared with patients with MALTs diagnosed at other sites (P=.004). Among those patients who achieved CR, 19% developed disease recurrence (n=31), chiefly in distant sites or untreated contralateral-paired organs. At the time of disease recurrence, 7 patients (23%) had transformed to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 2 of whom died of lymphoma. The 5-year OS rate after treatment failure was 83%.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with localized MALT lymphomas are reported to have excellent clinical outcome after moderate-dose RT, and some are likely cured. In the current study, thyroid and gastric MALTs were found to have significantly less risk of distant recurrence. Despite disease recurrence, the overall survival remains excellent in these patients.

Efficacy of rituximab in gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients

AIM: To evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of rituximab plus chemotherapy in gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

METHODS: Sixty patients (median age: 58 years) with histologically confirmed gastric DLBCL treated at four Italian institutions between 2000 and 2007, were included in this analysis. Patients were selected by stage (I-IV, Lugano staging system), European Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (0-2) and treatment strategies. Treatment strategies were chemotherapy alone (group A, n = 30) [scheduled as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) and CHOP-like], and chemotherapy combined with rituximab (group B, n = 30). The primary end point of the study was complete response (CR) rate; the secondary end points were disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 years and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS: Median follow-up was 62 mo (range: 31-102 mo). We observed a significant difference between the two groups (A vs B) in terms of CR [76.6% (23/30) vs 100%, P = 0.04) and DFS at 5 years [73.3% (22/30) vs 100%, P = 0.03). To date, 19 group A (63.3%) patients are alive and 11 have died, while all group B patients are alive. No significant differences in toxicity were observed between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy improves CR rate, DFS and OS. Further prospective trials are needed to confirm our results.

Gastrointestinal dissemination of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: computed tomographic findings

OBJECTIVE

To describe the computed tomographic findings of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma with gastrointestinal (GI) tract dissemination.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the computed tomographic findings for the location, morphology, contrast enhancement, and continuity of the involved bowel segment with ancillary findings in 10 patients with MALT lymphoma involving multiple GI tracts.

RESULTS

MALT lymphoma involved a total of 31 bowel segments. The gastric lesions appeared as segmental (n = 4) or diffuse (n = 1) wall thickening and the small- or large-intestinal lesions as circumferential wall thickening (n = 11) or localized polypoid mass (n = 8) with homogeneous and isoattenuating or hypoattenuating enhancement. Continuity of the involved bowel segment was present in 6 patients, bowel perforation in 1, lymphadenopathy in 8, and hepatosplenomegaly in 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite its rarity, MALT lymphoma can disseminate into the GI tract in the form of circumferential bowel wall thickening or localized polypoid mass with or without gastric involvement.

Primary low-grade and high-grade gastric MALT-lymphoma presentation

GOAL

To assess the clinical and endoscopic presentation of primary gastric lymphoma.

BACKGROUND

Remission rate and long-term survival in patients with gastric lymphoma mainly depend on disease stage at diagnosis. Series reporting clinical and endoscopic presentation of gastric lymphoma are generally small and heterogeneous.

STUDY

Systematic review with pooled-data analysis assessing clinical and endoscopic presentation of primary gastric lymphoma.

RESULTS

Data regarding 2000 patients were collected. Overall, males were slightly more prevalent, alarm symptoms were absent in near half of the patients, lymphoma was diagnosed in a stage >I in one-third of the patients, and Helicobacter pylori infection was present in 88.8% of considered patients. At endoscopy, the ulcerative type was the most frequent presentation, although low-grade lymphoma was diagnosed on normal/hyperemic gastric mucosa in 9% of cases. Patients with high-grade lymphoma presented alarm symptoms (anemia and/or melena and/or hemorrhage, persistent vomiting, weight loss), an exophytic or ulcerative lesion, a stage III-IV, and a H. pylori negative status more frequently than low-grade lymphoma cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our pooled-data analysis showed that gastric lymphoma is still disappointingly diagnosed in an advanced stage in a large number of patients. This is probably due to presence of nonspecific symptoms at initial clinical presentation and/or a normal appearing mucosa at endoscopic observation in the early stages.

B-cell receptor signaling and CD40 ligand-independent T cell help cooperate in Helicobacter-induced MALT lymphomagenesis

Gastric B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) develops in the context of chronic inflammation caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. Most pathophysiological features of the early stages of MALT lymphomagenesis can be reproduced by experimental infection of BALB/c mice with Helicobacter species. We have previously shown that MALT lymphomas are infiltrated by T-helper cell type 2-polarized T cells and that human and murine tumor B cells carry polyreactive surface immunoglobulins. Using the murine model of the disease, in this study we show that explanted tumor B cells proliferate upon stimulation with the same panel of self and foreign antigens that are recognized by their surface antibodies. Tumor cell proliferation is strongly enhanced by the presence of intratumoral CD4(+) T cells in a CD40/CD40L-independent manner. A large proportion of tumor-infiltrating CD4(+) T cells are CD25(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) with highly suppressive activity, which are recruited by the tumor cells through secretion of the Treg-attracting chemokines CCL17 and CCL22. The depletion of CD25(+) cells was as efficient as CD4(+) T cell depletion in blocking tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our data suggest that B-cell receptor-derived signals cooperate with T-helper cell signals in driving the progression of MALT lymphoma, providing an explanation for the unique antigen dependence of this B-cell malignancy.

Population-based strategies for Helicobacter pylori-associated disease management: a Japanese perspective

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing gradually in Japan mainly owing to an improvement in sanitary conditions. The guidelines for H. pylori management by the Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research, initially established in 2000 and revised in 2003, were revised dramatically in January 2009. The new guidelines accepted the use of new drugs and recommended trying the second-line eradication regimen. Moreover, the revised guidelines reflected the recent knowledge in Japan that metachronous gastric cancer prevalance is decreased significantly by the eradication of H. pylori infection. The Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research proposed that the cure of H. pylori infection should be presupposed to prevent gastric cancer from active gastritis universally developed in the infected subjects. Overall, the most important and dramatic revision is that all infected people are recommended to receive eradication therapy irrespective of the clinical outcomes in the Japanese population.

Gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma: review of the literature

Gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma (GI-FL) is a relatively rare disease, accounting for only 1%-3.6% of gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Although the duodenum and terminal ileum are considered to be the most common sites of origin, the development of wireless capsule endoscopy and double-balloon enteroscopy has increased the detection of GI-FL in every part of the small intestine. Approximately 70% of patients with GI-FL are estimated to have multiple lesions throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract. FL is a low-grade lymphoma that usually develops very slowly. If the lymphoma causes no symptoms, immediate treatment may not be necessary. Standard therapy has not yet been established for GI-FL, but chemotherapy, radiotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, or a combination of these therapies, is sometimes performed based on the therapeutic regimens for nodal FL. Regimens including conventional chemotherapy with rituximab, which achieve high response rates in nodal FL, are commonly used for GI-FL. The long-term clinical outcome of GI-FL is unclear. The results of a few series on the long-term outcomes of patients with GI-FL treated with conventional therapy indicate a median relapse-free time ranging from 31 to 45 months. On the other hand, in patients with GI-FL who were followed without treatment, the median time to disease progression was 37.5 months. Thus, whether to initiate aggressive therapy or whether to continue watchful waiting in patients with GI-FL is a critically important decision. Ongoing research on biomarkers to guide individualized GI-FL therapy may provide invaluable information that will lead to the establishment of a standard therapeutic regimen.

Primary gastric diffuse large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL): analyses of prognostic factors and value of pretreatment FDG-PET scan

OBJECTIVES

We report a single institution experience with gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in an attempt to evaluate the roles of different treatment modalities, to assess the value of pretreatment positron emission tomography (PET) scan, and to identify potential prognostic factors.

METHODS

Among 384 patients diagnosed with DLBCL between 1995 and 2008, 75 patients had primary gastric DLBCL and were reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

The median age was 66. International prognostic index (IPI) risk was low in 52%, low-intermediate in 23%, high-intermediate in 9%, and high in 16%. Pretreatment PET scan was highly sensitive in detecting gastric lesions except stage I gastric DLBCL without detectable mass by CT or gastroscopy. As a general rule, patients with limited-stage disease were treated with three times of CHOP (with or without rituximab) and radiotherapy, and those with advanced-stage disease were treated with eight cycles of CHOP (with or without rituximab), and radiotherapy was given to residual diseases after chemotherapy. Three-year overall survival (OS) rate was 78%. Multivariate analysis revealed that low albumin, hemoglobin <12.0 g/dL, and treatment without rituximab were independently associated with shorter OS. Low albumin, hemoglobin <12.0 g/dL,and advanced stage were independently associated with shorter progression-free survival.

CONCLUSION

We showed the survival benefit of rituximab and potential prognostic value of pretreatment hemoglobin and serum albumin levels in gastric DLBCL.

Guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection in Japan: 2009 revised edition

BACKGROUND

Over the past few years, the profile of Helicobacter pylori infection has changed in Japan. In particular, the relationship between H. pylori and gastric cancer has been demonstrated more clearly. Accordingly, the committee of the Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research has revised the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection in Japan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four meetings of guidelines preparation committee were held from July 2007 to December 2008. In the new guidelines, recommendations for treatment have been classified into five grades according to the Minds Recommendation Grades, while the level of evidence has been classified into six grades. The Japanese national health insurance system was not taken into consideration when preparing these guidelines.

RESULTS

Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy achieved a Grade A recommendation, being useful for the treatment of gastric or duodenal ulcer, for the treatment and prevention of H. pylori-associated diseases such as gastric cancer, and for inhibiting the spread of H. pylori infection. Levels of evidence were determined for each disease associated with H. pylori infection. For the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, measurement of H. pylori antigen in the feces was added to the tests not requiring biopsy. One week of proton-pump inhibitor-based triple therapy (including amoxicillin and metronidazole) was recommended as second-line therapy after failure of first-line eradication therapy.

CONCLUSION

The revised Japanese guidelines for H. pylori are based on scientific evidence and avoid the administrative restraints that applied to earlier versions.

Role of radiotherapy in the treatment of lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract

In patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma the most frequently involved site is the stomach (60%-75% of cases), followed by the small bowel, ileum, cecum, colon and rectum. The most common histological subtypes are extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The role of radiotherapy is most definite in early stage gastric lymphoma. The therapeutic approach for patients with gastric Non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has changed significantly over the last decades. The primary treatment of limited gastric MALT lymphoma consists of Helicobacter pylori eradication. In case of insufficient response to H. pylori eradication or in case H. pylori is absent, irradiation of the stomach and perigastric lymph nodes to a dose of 30-40Gy in 15-20 fractions is indicated. In patients with gastric DLBCL conservative treatment with anthracycline-based chemotherapy alone or in combination with involved-field radiotherapy has become the therapy of choice.

Combination therapy with rituximab and intravenous or oral fludarabine in the first-line, systemic treatment of patients with extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type

BACKGROUND

Currently, there are no consensus guidelines regarding the best therapeutic option for patients with extranodal marginal zone lymphomas of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type.

METHODS

Patients with systemically untreated or de novo extranodal MALT lymphoma received rituximab 375 mg/m(2) intravenously on Day 1 and fludarabine 25 mg/m(2) intravenously on Days 1 through 5 (Days 1-3 in patients aged >70 years) every 4 weeks, for 4 to 6 cycles. After the first cycle, oral fludarabine could be given orally at 40 mg/m(2) on the same schedule. After 3 cycles, a workup was done. Patients who achieved a complete remission (CR) received an additional cycle, and patients who achieved a partial remission (PR) received a total of 6 cycles.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients were studied, including 12 patients with gastric lymphoma and 10 patients with extragastric MALT lymphoma. Six patients (27%) had stage IV disease. In total, 101 cycles were administered (median, 4 cycles per patients). After the third cycle, 13 patients (62%) achieved a CR, and 8 patients (38%) achieved a PR. Primary extragastric disease was an adverse factor to achieve CR after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 23.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-273.3). At the end of treatment, the overall response rate was 100%, and 90% of patients achieved a CR. The progression-free survival rate at 2 years in patients with gastric and extragastric MALT lymphoma was 100% and 89%, respectively. Toxicities were mild and mainly were hematologic.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination therapy with rituximab and fludarabine is a very active treatment with favorable safety profile as first-line systemic treatment for patients with extranodal MALT lymphoma.