Quantitation of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cells carrying t(14;18) in a patient before and after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
BACKGROUND
A competitive PCR method was developed, enabling accurate quantitation of residual lymphoma cells carrying the t(14;18) in blood and bone marrow samples of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients during treatment.


METHODS
A patient with residual lymphoma cells received an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Since BMT, the patient has been in continuing clinical complete remission.


RESULTS
Using the competitive PCR and two-step PCR method, we were able to demonstrate a gradual decline in the number of lymphoma cells within consecutive patient blood and bone marrow samples after BMT.


CONCLUSIONS
The competitive PCR is a suitable method for the detection of minimal residual disease. Further research might reveal the clinical relevance of data obtained by this method.
Meijerink
J P
JP
Department of Medicine, University Hospital St. Radboud Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Goverde
G J
GJ
Smetsers
T F
TF
Raemaekers
J M
JM
Bogman
M J
MJ
de Witte
T
T
Mensink
E J
EJ
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002452:Cell Count; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous