Multiple lymphomatous polyposis of the colon and rectum. Report of a case and review of the literature

Primary gastrointestinal tract mantle cell lymphoma as multiple lymphomatous polyposis

Primary gastrointestinal involvement of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is rare with a frequency reported between 4 and 9% of all gastrointestinal B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. It was first described and so-called as multiple lymphomatous polyposis (MLP). Its clinical presentation is usually characteristic, with multiple lymphomatous polyps involving several digestive tract segments and a marked tendency towards extra-intestinal spread. The constant and typical phenotypic features of the small cleaved tumour cells, characterised as CD20+, CD5+ CD23- with a t(11;14) (q13;q32) and cyclin D1 overexpression on immunochemistry, allow MLP to be considered as the gastrointestinal counterpart of peripheral nodal MCL. They both share a very poor outcome. Response to intensive chemotherapy regimens usually results in regression of macroscopic and sometimes microscopic lesions but remissions are short and median survival from 3 to 4 years. Prognosis has been significantly improved since in younger patients, intensive front-line immunochemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation has been proposed. Earlier diagnosis with further studies integrating novel agents are still required to determine the optimal treatment with less toxicity.

Multiple lymphomatous polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract

CONTEXT

Gastrointestinal multiple lymphomatous polyposis is a rare type of malignant lymphoma that has aggressive biological behavior, early systemic dissemination and poor prognosis. It is considered to be a manifestation of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and represents the gastrointestinal counterpart of mantle cell nodal lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE

A case of gastrointestinal multiple lymphomatous polyposis is presented and the anatomopathological, clinical, diagnostic and treatment aspects of this unusual neoplasia are discussed.

CASE REPORT

The patient was a 59-year-old white male with a complaint of asthenia, night sweating, alteration in intestinal habit and weight loss over the preceding two months. The physical examination showed pallid mucosa and a palpable mass in the epigastrium and mesogastrium. Endoscopy of the upper digestive tract showed the presence of gastric and duodenal polyps. An opaque enema showed multiple polypoid lesions, especially in the cecum. A rectal biopsy revealed infiltration of the mucosa and submucosa by diffuse lymphoma consisting of small cleaved cells. Immunohistochemical study showed lymphocytes that expressed the antibody CD20 (L-26) and light-chain kappa (k) immunoglobulin, but not light-chain lambda (l) immunoglobulin. The patient presented a condition of acute intestinal obstruction with the presence of a mesenteric mass formed by agglutinated lymph nodes that surrounded the proximal ileum, thereby obstructing its lumen. He was submitted to a segmental enterectomy and gastrotomy with excisional biopsies of the gastric polypoid lesions. After two cycles of chemotherapy there was a worsening of the general state, with an increase in the dimensions of the abdominal masses and sepsis, accompanied by progressive respiratory insufficiency, leading to death.

Endoscopic ultrasonography in multiple lymphomatous polyposis

Two cases of multiple lymphomatous polyposis (MLP) are presented, involving different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. Both cases display the characteristic clinical and pathologic features of MLP. In addition, we were able to document, for the first time, the endoscopic ultrasonographic findings in this disease. This new ancillary diagnostic technique was found to be very helpful in the evaluation of the structural changes of the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and in the detection of affected lymph nodes.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma manifesting as multiple lymphomatosis polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract

There have been a number of previous case reports of lymphomas in the form of multiple mucosal polyps affecting variable lengths of colonic and intestinal mucosa. Invariably these have been classified histologically as mantle cell lymphomas. We report a case of this rare syndrome that illustrates many of its typical features but which demonstrates significant histological and immunophenotypic differences. A 67-yr-old man was referred with a 3-month history of altered bowel habit and a barium enema suggestive of extensive ulcerative colitis. At colonoscopy, diffuse umbilicated mucosal polyps were seen throughout the colon and a larger circumferential mass lesion at the ileocecal valve. Biopsies demonstrated a diffuse B-cell lymphoma consistent with "multiple lymphomatous polyposis" of the colon. Flow cytometry revealed CD25 positive/CD5 negative lymphoid cells confirming marginal B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type. Upper gastrointestinal investigations confirmed similar involvement of the stomach, duodenum, and small bowel. Helicobacter pylori was absent. Flow cytometry abnormalities consistent with marrow involvement were present. These features led to a diagnosis of stage IV marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT type, presenting as multiple lymphomatous polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract. Three months of combination chemotherapy resulted in an excellent symptomatic and endoscopic response.

Lymphoma at uncommon sites

Lymphoma can often present in unusual situations. This article provides a comprehensive review of the literature in which both non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease are discussed.

A case of systemic malignant lymphoma with intestinal involvement of lymphomatous polyposis type

Multiple lymphomatous polyposis is a rare type of intestinal lymphoma characterized by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of follicular mantle cell origin and extremely poor prognosis. We report a case of systemic lymphoma with the intestinal involvement of multiple lymphomatous polyposis. Although radiographic and endoscopic features of the case were compatible with multiple lymphomatous polyposis, histologic evidence suggested the diagnosis of diffuse large cell lymphoma rather than mantle cell lymphoma. Our case seems to be unique in its histologic findings and also in its prognosis, because the patient has been alive for more than 50 months after diagnosis.

Multiple lymphomatous polyposis

Multiple lymphomatous polyposis (MLP) is a distinctive and particularly rare clinical type of malignant gastrointestinal lymphoma, which is classified as B-cell centrocytic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. this rare entity has been recently reclassified as mantle cell lymphoma. We herein report three additional cases of MLP involving various segments of the gastrointestinal tract. MLP has an aggressive biologic behavior and a relatively poor prognosis and must be treated accordingly as a high-grade lymphoma with systemic chemotherapy.