REGRESSION OF PRIMARY LOW-GRADE B-CELL GASTRIC LYMPHOMA OF MUCOSA-ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID-TISSUE TYPE AFTER ERADICATION OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI

Certain features of primary low-grade B-cell gastric lymphoma of mucos a-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) suggest the tumour is antigen-resp onsive. Given the close association between gastric MALT lymphoma and Helicobacter pylori, these organisms might be evoking the immunologica l response, and eradication of H pylori might inhibit the tumour. 6 pa tients in whom biopsies showed histological and molecular-genetic evid ence of low-grade gastric B-cell MALT lymphoma with H pylori infection were treated with antibiotics. In all cases H pylori was eradicated a nd in 5, repeated biopsies showed no evidence of lymphoma. These resul ts suggest that eradication of H pylori causes regression of low-grade B-cell gastric MALT lymphoma, and that anti-H-pylori treatment should be given for this lymphoma.