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Abstract
Background: This study of patients with Helicobacter pylori infection and low-grade MALT lymphoma aimed to investigate: 1) the effect of H. pylori eradication therapy on the serum gastrin level, 2) whether changes of the serum gastrin level after therapy could predict the prognosis of patients with this tumour, and 3) the relationship between the gastric H. pylori load, the serum gastrin level and the status of MALT lymphoma. Methods: Thirteen patients with documented low-grade MALT lymphoma and H. pylori infection were enrolled and received H. pylori eradication therapy as the sole initial treatment. The presence of H. pylori , the serum gastrin level, the endoscopic findings, the pathologic features of the biopsies and resected specimens, and the endoscopic ultrasonography findings were evaluated before and after therapy. Follow-up was carried out every 3-6 months. Results: H. pylori eradication was eventually achieved in all 13 patients. The pretreatment fasting serum gastrin level decreased from 177.1 ± 107.4 pg/ml to 129.2 ± 78.1, 96.4 ± 66.6 and 80.1 ± 42.7 pg/ml after 0-3, 3-6 and 6-9 months, respectively (all P < 0.05). Successful eradication of H. pylori was followed by a decrease of the fasting serum gastrin level and complete regression of initial low-grade MALT lymphoma was observed in all patients. However, two patients subsequently developed recurrent high-grade MALT lymphoma or high-grade lymphoma. In one of them, the serum gastrin level rose again above the pretreatment value. In the other, however, the fasting gastrin level fell throughout the study period. The median fasting serum gastrin level before H. pylori eradication therapy was higher in the patients with tumours of the gastric body (203.4 ± 108.9 pg/ml) than in those with tumours of the antrum and angulus (89.3 ± 28.0 pg/ml) ( P = 0.06). Conclusions: Hypergastrinaemia may be associated with an increased risk of gastric MALT lymphoma.