NEOPLASTIC DISORDERS IN 100 PATIENTS WITH ADULT CELIAC-DISEASE

Previous reports have suggested that the incidence of some neoplastic disorders, particularly malignant lymphoma, is increased in patients w ith celiac disease. In this study, the type and number of neoplastic d isorders detected in 100 consecutive celiac disease patients were expl ored, Sixty-five patients were initially diagnosed with celiac disease before, and 35 after, age 60 years. Ten elderly celiac patients had l ymphoma or small intestinal adenocarcinoma. Although the overall incid ence of malignant lymphoma was 8%, similar to that in other centres, t he incidence in elderly celiac patients was 23% in this study. Celiac disease was detected before or after the diagnosis of lymphoma or smal l intestinal adenocarcinoma. In some patients, epithelial lymphocytosi s was evident in the gastric, colonic or biliary tract epithelium. In addition, other immune mediated disorders, dermatitis herpetiformis an d autoimmune thyroiditis, were common. Finally, other malignant disord ers of the esophagus, stomach and colon were not detected.