Celiac.com 01/20/2005 - A link between untreated celiac disease and a rare enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma (ETTL) has been well established by several studies. According to Dr. Karin Ekstrom Smedby of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and colleagues, there is also an increase in the prevalence of other types of lymphomas in those with celiac disease, such as B cell and non-intestinal lymphomas. In their study the researchers reviewed and reclassified 56 cases of malignant lymphomas that occurred in 11,650 hospitalized celiac disease patients in Sweden. The observed numbers of lymphoma subtypes were compared with those expected in the Swedish population. The researchers discovered that a majority of the lymphomas were not intestinal T-cell lymphomas, but were B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In addition, 44% of the patients with B cell NHL had a history of other autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. As expected, the relative risks for T-cell NHL and primary gastrointestinal lymphomas were markedly increased. According to the researchers: "Most lymphomas complicating coeliac disease are indeed related to the disease and are not of the ETTL-type. There was a remarkable aggregation of autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, female sex, coeliac disease, and B cell lymphoma."

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