Malignant disease of the stomach is generally considered, and rightly so, to be of grave prognostic significance. The five-year survival, for instance, of persons with carcinoma of the stomach, for whom all present methods of therapy have been utilized, is in the neighborhood of 5% or 6%. In a small series, it seems to us that the prognosis of another malignant tumor of the stomach easily confused with carcinoma roentgenologically may be somewhat better. We refer to lymphosarcoma of the stomach. By this term we mean the malignant lymphomas of the stomach, such as small-cell lymphosarcoma, reticulum cell lymphosarcoma, and lymphosarcoma not otherwise specified.
In a consideration of tumors of the small bowel, lymphosarcoma, because of its higher incidence relative to other tumors, is of frequent diagnostic import. Lymphocytic lesions of this region can sometimes be controlled for long periods with appropriate radiation, with dramatic changes in the roentgen picture.