Recent studies have shown 70-80% of gastric low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas regressing in response to eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Genetic mechanism of regression of gastric MALT lymphoma after H. pylori eradication remains unclear. To clarify the issue, we evaluated microsatellite instability (MSI) at 12 microsatellite loci in 15 patients with gastric low-grade MALT lymphoma, who received eradication therapy of H. pylori. H. pylori infection was observed in all the patients. After eradication therapy of H. pylori, patients were observed for a median of 21 months (range, 6-49 months). Eradication was acheived in all the patients. Nine of the 15 (60%) patients showed complete regression (CR), 3 (20%) partial regression (PR), and 3 (20%) no change (NC). MSI was detected in 3 of the 15 (20%) patients with low-grade MALT lymphoma. Compared with response to eradication therapy of H. pylori, MSI was detected in 1 of the 12 (8%) CR and PR patients, and in 2 of the 3 (67%) NC patients. Especially, MSI at D18S61 was detected in 2 of the 3 (67%) NC patients but in none of the 12 CR and PR patients. There was a significant difference between frequency of MSI at D18S61 in NC patients and that in CR and PR patients (p<0.05). These data suggest that MSI at D18S61 may be associated with lack of regression of gastric MALT lymphoma after H. pylori eradication.

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