Low-Stage Gastric MALT Lymphoma Causing Life-Threatening Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Abstract

Gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is an uncommon tumor of the stomach that only comprises around 1-6% of all tumors of the stomach. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma more commonly affects the lymph nodes and may spread to the spleen and bone marrow, whereas extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma is less common. Primary gastric lymphoma is further divided based on histologic features; one of the types is MALT lymphoma, which is strongly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. The first sign of the disease is usually mimicking gastritis. However, in the case reported here, the first sign of gastric MALT lymphoma was massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding with hemodynamic instability in a 75-year-old male. The patient came to the emergency department and was immediately resuscitated, intubated, and admitted to the intensive care unit. Urgent endoscopy (<6 h) was done to identify the source of bleeding, which were oozing ulcerated polypoid masses; endoscopic hemostasis was done, which successfully stopped the bleeding. However, the next day, rebleeding occurred and a second endoscopic hemostasis was performed. The bleeding stopped and the patient showed gradual improvement. The biopsy result of a gastric MALT lymphoma of grade IE1 with H. pylori infection warranted a treatment regimen for Helicobacter eradication. The patient recovered, with follow-up endoscopy at 3 months, at 6 months, and yearly thereafter with no sign of recurrence. This case shows that gastric MALT lymphoma, even at a low stage (1E1), can cause life-threatening upper GI bleeding that requires aggressive resuscitation and urgent endoscopy.