Alpha chain disease was first described by Seligmann, et al., in 1968 and is characterized by the production of abnormal alpha chains (about 25% of the chain missing) that can be found in the serum of the patients. The majority of patients complain of abdominal syndrome, of malabsorption, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea, etc. In a later phase, some patients develop gastrointestinal lymphoma. The disease is more frequent in the Middle East, where it is found in both Arabs and in Jews of oriental origin. It has been reported that some cases of alpha chain disease respond well to treatment with antibiotics (tetracycline). It seems desirable to study further the relationship between alpha chain disease and gastrointestinal lymphoma, with the aim of clarifying the mechanism by which alpha chain disease develops in a malignant form. It is important to note that it seems that a precancerous form can be reversed, at least in some cases, by antibiotic therapy. The study of this relationship may throw some light on the fundamental problems of oncology and immunology.