OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and pathological features and prognostic factors of primary intestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

METHODSThirty-Two cases of intestinal NHL were studied clinically and pathologically. All cases were reclassified according to the WHO classification of lymphoma in 2001.

RESULTSTwenty-one cases (65.6%) were diagnosed as B-cell lymphomas, including 15 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 2 cases of mantle cell lymphoma, 1 case of follicular lymphoma, 2 cases of MALT lymphoma and 1 case of Burkitt's lymphoma. Ten cases (31.2%) were diagnosed as T cell lymphomas, including 2 enteropathy-associated T cell lymphomas (EATCL) and 8 cases non-EATCL. One case (3.1%) was diagnosed as histiocytic lymphoma. Nine cases were at stage I-II and 23 cases were at stage III-IV. Follow-up information was available in all cases ranging from 4 to 168 months (mean 25.6 months). Fifteen cases died of the disease. The mortality rates were 33% for B cell lymphoma and 80% for T cell neoplasms. Based on Cox multivariate analysis, the clinical stage and histological types of the disease were important prognostic factors (P < 0.05). T cell lymphoma had a relatively poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONSDiffuse large B cell lymphoma is the most common subtype of primary intestinal lymphomas. Colon is the most common site involved, followed by the small intestine. Early stage of the disease and low-grade lymphoma appear to have a better prognosis. T cell lymphoma has a very poor prognosis.