Gastric lymphoma: a clinical study of 28 cases and an evaluation of prognostic factors.

The charts of 28 patients with primary gastric lymphoma referred to our department from 1972 through 1980 were reviewed and analysed with regard to prognostic factors and treatment. Stage, histology and depth of penetration were found to correlate strongly with survival. The two year survival was 89% for stages I and II1 versus 44% for stages II2-IV (p less than 0.05), 100% for lymphocytic and mixed types versus 56% for histiocytic types (p less than 0.05), and 100% for tumors confined to the submucosa and muscularis propria versus 53% for those with deeper penetration (p less than 0.02). Age, sex and microscopic features were not found to have prognostic significance. Since stage, histologic type and depth of penetration were each found to have their own prognostic value, a classification system unifying all three parameters is proposed, based on which a rational therapeutic approach for patients with gastric lymphoma can be attempted.