Background: Improved diagnostic techniques have increased early detection of gastric lymphoma as well as the early detection of adenocarcinoma. However, clinicopathologic features of early gastric lymphoma are presently undefined.
Methods: Clinicopathologic features of 10 patients with early gastric lymphoma were compared with the same features of 180 patients with early gastric adenocarcinoma. In addition, 46 articles were reviewed to evaluate clinicopathologic differences.
Results: Early gastric lymphoma was found in 29.2% of the patients who underwent surgery for gastric lymphoma. Early gastric lymphoma was associated with lymph node involvement in 29.9% of the patients, superficial spreading tumors in 48.6%, and multifocal lesions in 40%. These rates are greater than those in patients with adenocarcinomas (P < 0.05%). The survival rate was identical in both groups. Early gastric lymphoma may develop into large, multifocal tumors, accompanied by lymph node involvement.
Conclusions: Surgical treatment with a wide resection of the stomach and extensive lymph node dissection is necessary for early gastric lymphomas.