Abdominal lymphoma with alpha-heavy chain disease.

Clinical, immunochemical and pathological studies were performed in a 27-year-old male who presented with abdominal pain, the malabsorption syndrome, and marked weight loss. Immunoelectrophoretic studies revealed alpha-heavy chains in the patient's serum, urine and intestinal juice. Treatment with cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids produced an improvement in the patient's condition and he survived for 18 months after the onset of symptoms. Autopsy revealed a malignant lymphoma of mixed histiocytic-lymphocytic type involving mainly the mesenteric lymph nodes, but also affecting the jejunal mucosa, liver, spleen and extraabdominal lymph nodes. This is the first case of abdominal lymphoma with alpha-heavy chain disease to be reported from Yugoslavia.