Clinical significance of t(14; 18)-positive cells in the circulation of patients with stage III or IV follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during first remission.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis as a method for the detection of circulating lymphoma cells in patients with stage III and IV t(14; 18)-positive follicular Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in first remission in a longitudinal prospective study.


METHODS
Peripheral blood or bone marrow from eight patients with stage III and IV t(14; 18)-positive NHL was studied using PCR to detect the presence of t(14; 18)-positive cells in the circulation at different times during first remission.


RESULTS
In four of six patients with no clinical evidence of disease (NCED), t(14; 18)-positive cells were detectable in the circulation. In one of two patients with clinical evidence of disease (CED), no t(14; 18)-positive cells were found at the four different occasions tested during first remission. First-remission duration ranged from 17 to 81+ months. The duration from the first PCR determination in remission until first relapse or the end of the observation period ranged from 10 to 37+ months.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with t(14; 18)-positive follicular NHL stage III and IV, treated with conventional remission induction therapy, the presence or absence of t(14; 18)-positive cells in the circulation shows no obvious correlation with the clinical remission status and the remission duration.
Lambrechts
A C
AC
Department of Molecular Biology, Dr Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Hupkes
P E
PE
Dorssers
L C
LC
van't Veer
M B
MB
D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*