Detection of bcl-2/IgH rearrangements by quantitative-competitive PCR and capillary electrophoresis.
BACKGROUND
PCR is the primary method for detecting minimal residual disease in hematologic cancers. One such gene target is the bcl-2/immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) translocation found in a majority of cases of follicular lymphoma.


RESULTS
We report an accurate method for quantitative detection of the bcl-2/IgH translocation marker of follicular lymphoma in a series of patients in various stages of remission and relapse who had been treated with a combination of ifosfamide, mitoxantrone, and etoposide (MINE) chemotherapy and monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody (Rituximab). The approach uses seminested PCR followed by analysis of the products on a fluorescent capillary electrophoresis system. The quantitation of bcl-2/IgH translocation-positive cells was sensitive and reproducible, capable of detecting as few as five malignant cells out of 300,000 normal cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantitative PCR enables one to monitor the kinetics of tumor reduction in patients treated with MINE chemotherapy in combination with Rituximab.
Telatar
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Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Grody
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Emmanouilides
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D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000069283:Rituximab; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000069283:Rituximab