| [ Summary ] |
Low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma is characterized by rough, granular mucosal areas and occasionally with erosions, shallow ulcers and slight elevation. These findings differ from the features of the high-malignant lymphoma which display ulcerated tumors which resemble advanced gastric cancers. The endoscopic diagnosis of low-grade MALT lymphoma is made by the characteristic findings such as discoloration (occasionally looking like IIc type early gastric cancer), rough mucosa with granular gastric areas, mucosal thickness or elevation, erosions and ulcers. Diagnosis differentating gastritis with marked lymphocyte infiltration from early gastric cancer is difficult when only using endoscopic findings. It is nessesary to obtain the histological diagnosis of low-grade MALT lymphoma before initiating Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. After successful eradication, the areas where lymphoma cells disappear show endoscopic findings the same as those of marked atrophic mucosa. |