A duodenal follicular lymphoma associated with the lesion mimicking MALT lymphoma in terminal ileum and Bauhin valve

Clinicopathological Features, Treatment Strategy, and Prognosis of Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Duodenum: A SEER Database Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Primary duodenum lymphoma (PDL) is extremely rare with limited data available in the literature. In this study, we sought to describe clinical features and identify factors affecting survival in patients with PDL using a large population cohort.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried from 1998 to 2015.

RESULTS

A total of 1060 cases of PDLs were identified. Clinicopathological features as well as survival data of PDLs were analyzed and compared with 10573 primary gastric lymphomas (PGLs) and 3239 primary small intestinal lymphomas (PSILs) from the SEER database. PDL patients were younger in age (60.96 ± 15.205), and the proportion of stage I (53.21%) was higher in Ann Arbor staging. The proportion of PDLs treated by surgery (8.68%) is the lowest among PDLs, PGLs, and PSILs. The DSS of PDLs were significantly better than those of PGLs and PSILs, respectively (10-year survival rate: 21.24% vs. 20.40%, P=0.027; 10-year survival rate: 21.24% vs. 16.79%, P=0.001). Age, gender, Ann Arbor staging, and histological type were regarded as independent prognostic factor for the DSS by multivariate analysis (all P < 0.05). Patients with <65 years, female, stage I, and FL were found to be significantly associated with good DSS. The treatment modality (surgery vs. conservative treatment) was not statistically related to DSS. The proportion of PDL patients who received surgical treatment gradually decreased from 15.60% in period 2 to 5.26% in period 4.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinicopathologic features of duodenal lymphoma were significantly different from those of gastric lymphoma and small intestinal lymphoma. The prognosis of PDLs was significantly better than those of the other two groups, and there was no statistical survival benefit from surgery in PDLs.

CD10 down expression in follicular lymphoma correlates with gastrointestinal lesion involving the stomach and large intestine

Follicular lymphoma (FL) shows co-expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and CD10, whereas downexpression of CD10 is occasionally experienced in gastrointestinal (GI) FL with unknown significance. Gastrointestinal FL is a rare variant of FL, and its similarity with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma was reported. We investigated the clinicopathological and genetic features of CD10 downexpressed (CD10^down ) GI-FL. The diagnosis of CD10^down FL was carried out with a combination of pathological and molecular analyses. The incidence of CD10^down GI-FL was shown in 35/172 (20.3%) cases, which was more frequent than nodal FL (3.5%, P < 0.001). The difference was additionally significant between GI-FL and nodal FL when the analysis was confined to primary GI-FL (55.2% vs 3.5%, P < 0.001). Compared to CD10⁺ GI-FL, CD10^down GI-FL significantly involved the stomach or large intestine (P = 0.015), and additionally showed the downexpression of BCL6 (P < 0.001). The follicular dendritic cell meshwork often showed a duodenal pattern in the CD10^down group (P = 0.12). Furthermore, a lymphoepithelial lesion was observed in 5/12 (40%) gastric FL cases, which indicated caution in the differentiation of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Molecular analyses were undertaken in seven cases of CD10^down GI-FL, and an identical clone was found between CD10^down follicles and CD10⁺ BCL2⁺ neoplastic follicles. In the diagnosis of cases with CD10^down BCL2⁺ follicles, careful examination with molecular studies should be carried out.

The role of "watch and wait" in intestinal follicular lymphoma in rituximab era

OBJECTIVE

There is no consensus regarding the best treatment for intestinal follicular lymphoma (FL). We used "watch and wait" for patients with intestinal FL with low-tumor-burden (LTB) criteria and without mass formation causing bowel obstruction. We investigated the overall survival (OS) and time to treatment required (TTR).

METHODS

Thirty-three intestinal FL patients [clinical stage (CS) I:16, II1:0, II2:7, IV:10; median observation period: 45.5 months, range: 13-110 months] were diagnosed via endoscopy. Detailed clinical and pathological examinations were performed, and neoplastic process behavior was monitored.

RESULTS

All of the 33 patients were WHO grade 1. FL lesions in the digestive tract were found frequently in the second-fourth portion of the duodenum in 91% of the patients; 87% of those patients had lesions in a broader area including the small intestine. Two patients had an enlargement of the area of the lesions and a worsening of the macroscopic findings. Three patients had CS progression; however, these remained within the indication for "watch and wait." Two patients with transformation into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma received rituximab and chemotherapy, which led to complete remission. The OS was 100%. The time to treatment required (TTR) was 49 months in one patient and 37 months in one patient.

CONCLUSION

Intestinal FL in CS I-IV with broad infiltration of the digestive tract meeting the criteria for LTB had a remarkably slow course. This study suggests that "watch and wait" is appropriate for the treatment of LTB intestinal FL even in the era of rituximab.