title: Clinical significance of the t(14;18) and BCL2 overexpression in follicular large cell lymphoma.
abstract: Follicular large cell lymphoma (FLCL) is an aggressive disease that responds to anthracycline-containing chemotherapy much like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Since the t(14;18) and/or bcl2 protein expression are less common in FLCL than in its low-grade counterparts, we sought to determine whether these features were predictive of survival as in DLBCL. We studied 50 patients with FLCL who were treated with curative intent. The t(14;18) was found by cytogenetic analysis in 56% of the patients and bcl2 protein was expressed by the tumor cells in 73%, but neither was predictive of survival. However, abnormalities of chromosome 17p and the presence of trisomy 21 were adverse predictors of survival, as were a number of clinical features. We conclude that neither the absence of the t(14;18) nor the lack of bcl2 expression explain the good response of a subset of patients with FLCL to curative therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-3135, USA.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Weisenburger
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Gascoyne
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bierman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shenkier
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Horsman
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Connors
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vose
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Armitage
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Sanger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D005260:Female; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005819:Genetic Markers