Tumorous neo-vascularization: a newly recognized endoscopic feature of intestinal non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Endoscopic features of intestinal lympho− ma usually comprise infiltration of the intestinal wall: the affected segment is ri− gid, reddish, fragile, and often bleeds spontaneously. Irregular nodular pattern and multiple ulcers with scaring may also be found [1± 3]. We report two cases of macroscopically visible neo−vasculari− zation as a newly recognized endoscopic feature of intestinal lymphoma. We con− sider these pathological, winding, tortu− ous vessels as a unique sign of tumorous angiogenesis. We can hypothesize that this could be stimulated by means of cy− tokines mediated by T−lymphocytes infil− trating margins of the neoplasm. Another possible factor is the bcl−2 family of pro− teins, which are considered to be respon− sible for pathological neo−vascularization in both human and experimental oncolo− gy [4,5]. In both our cases, B−lymphocytes also expressed bcl−2 proteins in the lym− phoma.