Clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in the United States

Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a relatively rare disease. We aimed to perform a large-scale study of clinical characteristics and optimal treatment for pulmonary MALT lymphoma patients. Our study extracted data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. The chi-square test was utilized to compare clinical factors. Overall survival (OS) was compared using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method and Cox regression analysis. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) was compared by the Fine-Gray test. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance confounders. Females and elderly individuals are more likely to suffer from pulmonary MALT lymphoma. The incidence rate is increasing, and most patients are diagnosed in the early stage without specific symptoms. Patients usually suffer from a favorable survival period, especially patients in the early stage. Patients in stage I-II can obtain a survival advantage from surgery, especially for patients older than 60 years, with unilateral lesions, with single-lung-lobe lesions, in stage I, and without B symptoms. Chemotherapy decreases the risk of death for advanced-stage patients, and males, caucasians, patients with stage IV disease, or patients with only unilateral lung involvement were especially recommended for chemotherapy. Pulmonary MALT lymphoma is an indolent tumor. Patients in different stages had different prognoses, and different treatments were recommended. We will conduct prospective research in the future.