MALT lymphoma of the stomach: Kaplan-Meier curve of overall survival.

Overall survival is shown of a cohort of 93 patients diagnosed between 1986 and 1995 in 3 different institutions in northern Italy (Ospedale S Orsola, Brescia and Ospedale di Circolo, Varese) and southern Switzerland (Bellinzona).31 The median age was 63 years (range, 21-89 years), and most presented with localized disease (82 stage I, 4 stage II, and 7 stage IV). The type of treatment depended on the policy followed in the respective institutions at the time of diagnosis: 24 patients had gastrectomy with11 or without13 additional chemotherapy or irradiation, 49 had antibiotics, 12 chemotherapy, 1 radiotherapy, and 7 refused any treatment. There was no apparent difference in overall survival between patients who received different treatments. At a median follow-up of 3 years, 10 of 93 patients had died, only 1 because of tumor progression. The 5-year projected overall survival is 82% (95% CI, 67%-91%) in the series as a whole.31