The clinical relevance of t(14;18)/BCL-2 rearrangement and DEL 6q in diffuse large cell lymphoma and immunoblastic lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
t(14;18)/bcl-2 gene rearrangement (R) is claimed to impart a worse rate of complete remission and disease-free survival in diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL). DEL 6q has also been associated with poor outcome.


METHODS
Retrospective study of 54 patients with either diffuse large cell or immunoblastic lymphoma who had cytogenetics and/or molecular studies performed.


RESULTS
Patient characteristics, complete remission rate, and time to treatment failure (TTF) were similar at three year follow-up for groups with and without t(14;18)/BCL-2R. Survival was worse for the former but the difference was not statistically significant. For DEL 6q, patient characteristics and survival rates were similar at three year follow-up for patients with and without the abnormality. TTF was worse for the former but this was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
This study, with equal or greater number of patients with t(14;18) than previous reports, fails to show a worse prognosis for patients with the t(14;18) chromosomal abnormality. A definite association will await further accrual of patients and a meaningful multivariate analysis.
Romaguera
J E
JE
Department of Hematology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Pugh
W
W
Luthra
R
R
Goodacre
A
A
Cabanillas
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002896:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics*; D012074:Remission Induction; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017211:Treatment Failure