South Asian Journal of Cancer (Jan 2019)

Primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A prospective study from South India

  • Babu Suresh,
  • Vikas Asati,
  • K C Lakshmaiah,
  • Govind Babu,
  • D Lokanatha,
  • Linu Abraham Jacob,
  • K N Lokesh,
  • A H Rudresh,
  • L K Rajeev,
  • Saldanha Smitha,
  • Abhishek Anand,
  • Rajesh Patidar,
  • C S Premalata

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/sajc.sajc_52_18
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 57 – 59

Abstract

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Background: Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the most common extranodal site for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and constitutes about 10%-15% of all NHL. This was a prospective study to evaluate the epidemiological, clinicopathological characteristics, and treatment outcome of primary GIT diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PGIL). Materials and Methods: Newly diagnosed patients of PGIL with DLBCL histology were eligible. Lugano staging system was used. All patients were treated with prephase treatment (1 mg vincristine and 100 mg prednisolone) followed by CHOP-based chemotherapy (with or without rituximab) as definitive treatment. Results: A total of 21 patients of PGIL were diagnosed. The median age was 46 years (range: 27–69 years) with male:female ratio of 2:1. Dull aching abdominal pain was the most common presenting complaint. Stomach was the most common site involved (52.4%, n = 11) followed by the colon (23.8%, n = 5). The estimated median survival in patients with Stage IV disease was significantly lower as compared to patients with localized disease (Stage I and II) (6.23 months vs. 23.4 months; P = 0.04). Patients, who did not achieve complete response (CR), had 15.5 times higher risk of death, as compared to those who achieved CR (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Stomach was the most common site for PGIL. Localized disease and CR after first-line chemotherapy were associated with better survival. A higher cost of rituximab was the prohibitive factor for cure in these patients.

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