Considerations on 42 Cases of Lymphoreticular Tumors of Gastrointestinal Tract

Abstract

Forty-two cases of lymphoreticular tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are reported: 27 reticulosarcomas, 10 lymphosarcomas, 3 lymphoreticulosarcomas and 2 cases of Hodgkin's disease. The localization was the following; 28 tumors of the stomach, 9 of the small intestine, 3 of caecum and 2 of rectum. The age of the patients ranged from 17 to 64 years. The study of the cases indicates that it is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a correct diagnosis before surgical operation, as all the common diagnostic measures, except biopsy, are not probative. The results of therapeutical treatment, which consisted, when possible, of radical dissection of the tumors, followed by roentgentherapy, are reported. The tumors of the stomach showed a high rate of operability (19 of 28 cases were radically operated). Two of 3 cases of tumor of caecum and 3 of 9 tumors of the small bowel were amenable to surgery. The survival rate of the cases in which the stomach was involved was fairly good (6 patients of 22 were alive after 5 years, and 5 of 14 after 10 years). As to the patients with a tumor of the small bowel, 6 of 9 died within 1–2 years.