Primary gastric anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

INTRODUCTION: Most primary stomach lymphomas are now recognized to originate from B-cell. Primary gastric anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) as shown in this case is very rare.

CASE REPORT: A 59-year-old man presented with a 1-month history of epigastric pain. Computed tomography showed a tumor in the stomach with perigastric lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of the tumor with gastroendoscopy showed ALCL. Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy showed no infiltration. A diagnosis of primary gastric ALK-negative ALCL was made. The patient was first treated with four cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (CHOP) regimen, but his condition did not show improvement. Then he was treated with two cycles of hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone/methotrexate and cytarabine (Hyper-CVAD/MA) regimen. In spite of these treatments, he still died of disease progression.

CONCLUSION: The prognosis of ALK-negative ALCLs is usually worse than ALK-positive ALCLs. In this case, the patient was not responsive to a multidrug chemotherapy with CHOP and Hyper-CVAD/MA.