Table 2.
Characteristic features of gastrointestinal lymphomas
| Region | Age (yr) | GIL (%) | Sex | Predilection site | Etiological/risk factors | Presenting symptoms | Common pathological subtypes | Radiographic features |
| Oropharyngeal | > 50 | - | M > F | Tonsil, nasopharynx1, base of tongue | EBV | Dysphagia, dyspnea, painless mass, ulcer, oral/hearing pain, B symptoms rare | DLBCL, EMZL/MALT, PTCL, FL, MCL, ENKL, HD | Lobular mass, ulcers |
| Esophagus | Variable | < 1 | - | Mid and lower third | EBV, HIV | Dysphagia, odynophagia, weight loss, epigastric/chest pain, pneumonia, bleeding rare, B symptoms rare | DLBCL, MALT lymphoma, HD, MCL, T-cell lymphoma | Stricture, ulcerated mass, submucosal nodules, varicoid-like, achalasia-like, aneurysmal, fistula formation |
| Stomach | > 50 | 60-75 | M > F | Antrum | H. pylori (MALT lymphoma), HTLV-1, HBV (DLBCL), EBV, HCV | Epigastric pain, dysphagia, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, abdominal mass, gastrointestinal bleeding, obstruction, perforation, B symptoms rare | DLBCL, MALT, PTCL | Ulcers, polypoid mass, thickened fold, mucosal nodularity, linitis plastica-like |
| Small intestine | Variable | 20-30 | Usually, M > F | Ileum, jejunum, duodenum, multiple sites | Celiac disease (EATL), C. jejuni (IPSID), EBV, HIV/AIDS | Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, GI bleeding, obstructive symptoms, intussusceptions, perforation, diarrhea (in IPSID), B symptoms rare | DLBLCL, MALT, EATL, MCL, Burkitt lymphoma, FL, IPSID, PTCL, ENKL | Polypoid mass, multiple nodules, infiltrative form, ulcer, excavation, fistulization, extraluminal mass, mucosal thickening, strictures |
| Colon/rectum | 50-70 | 6-12 | M > F | Caecum, ascending colon, rectum | Celiac disease (EATL), EBV, H. pylori (MALT lymphoma) | Abdominal pain, weight loss, abdominal mass, lower GI bleeding, obstruction, perforation | DLBCL, MALT, EATL, MCL, PTCL, Burkitt lymphoma | Polypoid mass, ulcers, mucosal nodularity, cavitary mass, mucosal thickening, strictures, aneurysmal |
1
Included here though usually not applicable. GIL: Gastrointestinal lymphoma; EBV: Epstein Barr virus; DLBCL: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma; EMZL: Extranodal marginal-zone lymphoma; PTCL: Peripheral T cell lymphoma; FL: Follicular lymphoma; EATL: Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma; MCL: Mantle cell lymphoma; IPSID: Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease; HD: Hodgkin’s disease; HTLV-1: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori; C. jejuni: Campylobacter jejuni; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus; AIDS: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; ENKL: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma.