Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma
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Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma
MALT stands for mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. This means that the lymphoma starts in the mucosa. The mucosa is a moist tissue that lines body organs and cavities including your nose, mouth, lungs, and digestive tract. So, MALT lymphoma starts in the body organs and not in the lymph nodes. These low grade lymphomas are most often diagnosed in the stomach. But they can also develop in the lung, thyroid, salivary glands, eye, skin or soft tissues.
Treatment
MALT is a low grade form of lymphoma and usually responds well to treatment. It is usually treated with low doses of radiotherapy or it can be removed with surgery, depending on where it is in the body and on how widespread it is.
In 1 in 3 people, when it is diagnosed the MALT has spread to nearby lymph nodes or, less often, to another body organ. It is then usually treated with chemotherapy tablets.
Gastric MALT lymphoma
Most cases of MALT lymphoma are associated with a chronic stomach infection called Helicobacter pylori. This infection causes symptoms of indigestion and stomach pain. Gastric MALT lymphoma is treated with antibiotics.
MALT stands for mucosa associated lymphoid tissue. This means that the lymphoma starts in the mucosa. The mucosa are the moist tissues that line some organs and body cavities, including your nose, mouth, lungs, and digestive tract. So, MALT lymphoma starts in the body organs and not in the lymph nodes. These low grade lymphomas are most often diagnosed in the stomach. But they can also develop in the lung, thyroid, salivary glands, eye, skin or soft tissues. It is most often diagnosed in people in their 60s. But can be found in people in their 20s or 30s.
Many people diagnosed with MALT lymphoma of the salivary gland have had an autoimmune disease called Sjogren’s syndrome. Similarly, people with thyroid MALT may have had a similar condition of the thyroid called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
MALT lymphoma is usually slow growing. Most people have early stage (localised) disease when they are diagnosed. The outlook is good, even when the disease is quite widespread.
MALT is a low grade form of lymphoma and usually responds well to treatment. It is usually treated with low doses of radiotherapy or it can be removed with surgery, depending on where it is in the body and on how widespread it is.
In some people, when it is diagnosed the MALT has spread to nearby lymph nodes or, less often, to another body organ. It is then treated as a low grade follicular lymphoma, usually with chemotherapy tablets.
Most cases of MALT lymphoma of the stomach are associated with a chronic stomach infection caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. This infection causes inflammation of the stomach lining, with symptoms of indigestion and stomach pain.
Gastric MALT lymphoma is treated with antibiotics. This is very successful at shrinking the lymphoma. But we don’t yet know if this is a permanent cure, so you will be carefully monitored for some years after successful treatment. You will have an endoscopy 3 months and 6 months after the antibiotic treatment has finished to make sure the lymphoma has not come back. You may then continue to have endoscopies once a year for a while.
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