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Endoscopy 2007; 39(2): 156-160
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-945114
Original article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Primary NK-/T-cell lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract: clinical characteristics and endoscopic findings

J.  H.  Kim1, 2 , J.  H.  Lee1 , J.  Lee1 , S.-O.  Oh1 , D.  K.  Chang1 , P.-L.  Rhee1 , J.  J.  Kim1 , J.  C.  Rhee1 , J.  Lee1 , W.  S.  Kim1 , Y.  H.  Ko3
  • 1Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 3Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Publication History

eingereicht 20 February 2006

akzeptiert 4 August 2006

Publication Date:
11 January 2007 (online)

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Background and study aims: Primary NK-/T-cell lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract is a very rare disease with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and endoscopic characteristics of patients with primary gastrointestinal NK-/T-cell lymphoma.

Patients and methods: The clinical features of 14 patients with primary gastrointestinal NK-/T-cell lymphoma and the endoscopic findings in 11 of these patients were reviewed. Their median age was 42 years (range 23 - 78) at the time of diagnosis.

Results: The initial presenting symptoms of primary gastrointestinal NK-/T-cell lymphoma were gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 6, 42 %), abdominal pain (n = 4, 29 %), and epigastric soreness (n = 4, 29 %). The disease was at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis: stage II in 5 patients (36 %); stage III in 4 (28 %); and stage IV in 5 (36 %). Initial treatment was with chemotherapy (n = 8, 57 %) or surgical resection (n =5, 36 %). The median survival for all patients was 9 months. On endoscopy in 11 patients, the anatomic location of the primary lesion was found to be: stomach, n = 3 (27 %); esophagus, n =2 (18 %); duodenum, n = 1 (9 %); and the ileocolonic area, n = 5 (46 %). These lesions were ulceroinfiltrative in 4 cases (36 %), ulcerative in 3 cases (27 %), superficial/erosive in 3 cases (27 %), and infiltrative in 1 case (9 %). No prominent fungating mass was seen in any patient.

Conclusions: Primary gastrointestinal NK-/T-cell lymphoma was endoscopically characterized by superficial/erosive, ulcerative, or ulceroinfiltrative lesions without fungating mass. The most common presenting symptom was gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite aggressive treatments, the prognosis was very poor.

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J. H. Lee, MD

Division of Gastroenterology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine

Irwon-Dong 50, Gangnam-gu
Seoul, Korea 135-710

Fax: +82-2-34103849

Email: leejh@smc.samsung.co.kr

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