Characteristics of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of gastrointestinal tract: A single center experience

Year 2025, Volume: 38 Issue: 3, 198 - 203, 10.10.2025

Meral Uluköylü Mengüç , Fergun Yilmaz , Ceren Güren Fatma Temiz Fatma Geçgel , Seçil Salim Arda Bayar Rana Berru Ozince Semih Ozerol Tayfur Toptas , Isık Atagunduz

https://doi.org/10.5472/marumj.1799981

Abstract

Objectives: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous disease, with approximately one-third of patients presenting
with extranodal involvement. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most commonly affected extranodal site. This retrospective study
aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients diagnosed with GI-DLBCL at a tertiary care hospital
between 2015 and 2024.
Patients and Methods: Data of patients diagnosed with GI-DLBCL were retrospectively collected from electronic medical records.
Patients with lymphoma subtypes other than DLBCL were excluded from the study.
Results: A total of 35 patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 57 years, and 48.6% were male. The most frequent
histologic subtype was “DLBCL, not otherwise specified (NOS)”. The stomach was the most common site of extranodal involvement.
Two-thirds of the patients presented with advanced-stage disease. Rituximab-based therapies including cyclophosphamide,
doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone with rituximab (R-CHOP) were administered as first-line treatment in 82.9% of patients,
and a complete response was achieved in 71.4%. At a median follow-up of 45 months, median progression-free survival and overall
survival had not yet been reached.
Conclusion: Despite a high rate of advanced-stage disease, R-CHOP treatment achieved high response rates and durable survival.
Molecular profiling may help better understand the biological heterogeneity of GI-DLBCL.

Keywords

Gastrointestinal tract , Diffuse large B cell lymphoma , Prognosis

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