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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2014; 20(36): 12993-13005
Published online Sep 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i36.12993
Endoscopic features of gastro-intestinal lymphomas: From diagnosis to follow-up
Calogero Vetro, Alessandra Romano, Irene Amico, Concetta Conticello, Giovanna Motta, Amalia Figuera, Annalisa Chiarenza, Cosimo Di Raimondo, Giorgio Giulietti, Giacomo Bonanno, Giuseppe Alberto Palumbo, Francesco Di Raimondo
Calogero Vetro, Alessandra Romano, Irene Amico, Concetta Conticello, Giovanna Motta, Amalia Figuera, Annalisa Chiarenza, Cosimo Di Raimondo, Giuseppe Alberto Palumbo, Francesco Di Raimondo, Division of Hematology, AOU Policlinico-OVE, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Giorgio Giulietti, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, A.O. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele”, 95124 Catania, Italy
Giacomo Bonanno, Division of Gastroenterology, A.O. Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, 95124 Catania, Italy
Author contributions: Vetro C is the primary author of the study and was involved in literature search and data collection and wrote the paper; Vetro C, Romano A, Amico I, Conticello C, Motta G, Figuera A, Chiarenza A and Palumbo GA were content expert and involved in editing the manuscript; Vetro C and Di Raimondo C analyzed the data and were involved in editing the manuscript; Giulietti G and Bonanno G provided figures, were content expert and involved in editing the manuscript; Di Raimondo F was the principle investigator, content expert and involved in editing the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Francesco Di Raimondo, MD, Division of Hematology, AOU Policlinico-OVE, University of Catania, Via Citelli 6, 95124 Catania, Italy. diraimon@unict.it
Telephone: +39-95-7435916 Fax: +39-95-7311510
Received: October 30, 2013
Revised: February 28, 2014
Accepted: May 28, 2014
Published online: September 28, 2014
Abstract

Many progresses have been done in the management of gastrointestinal (GI) lymphomas during last decades, especially after the discovery of Helicobacter pylori-dependent lymphoma development. The stepwise implementation of new endoscopic techniques, by means of echoendoscopy or double-balloon enteroscopy, enabled us to more precisely describe the endoscopic features of GI lymphomas with substantial contribution in patient management and in tailoring the treatment strategy with organ preserving approaches. In this review, we describe the recent progresses in GI lymphoma management from disease diagnosis to follow-up with a specific focus on the endoscopic presentation according to the involved site and the lymphoma subtype. Additionally, new or emerging endoscopic technologies that have an impact on the management of gastrointestinal lymphomas are reported. We here discuss the two most common subtypes of GI lymphomas: the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and the diffuse large B cell lymphoma. A general outline on the state-of-the-art of the disease and on the role of endoscopy in both diagnosis and follow-up will be performed.

Keywords: Non-Hodgkin lymphomas, Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal tract, Endosonography, B-cell lymphomas, Marginal zone

Core tip: The understanding of gastro-intestinal lymphomas biology has led the scientific community to implement the diagnostic accuracy and the prognostic assessment of these patient. Such advances have recognized a pivotal role in more sophisticated endoscopic techniques and, in the advent of endoscopic ultrasonography, a clinical tool able to predict, with high levels of accuracy, the response to treatment. In this review we will focus on the application of endoscopy, and related techniques, in the management of gastrointestinal lymphomas. An overview of the literature will be performed on dependence of lymphoma subtype and disease location for both low-grade and high-grade gastro-intestinal lymphomas.