title: Cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies in 60 patients with multiple myeloma and plasma cell leukemia.
abstract: We report cytogenetic results in a series of 60 patients affected with multiple myeloma (MM) and plasma cell leukemia (PCL) and compare the results with those previously reported. In our series, a total of 41% of MM patients and 71% of PCL patients displayed chromosome abnormalities. To evaluate the clinical value of monosomy 18, we obtained fluorescence in situ hybridization results (using centromeric probe for chromosome 18) of 22 MM patients who displayed a normal karyotype. Monosomy 18 was present in 3 of 22 patients (14%). Using conventional cytogenetics, we detected monosomy 18 in one patient affected with PCL. Two of four cases with monosomy 18 followed an aggressive course, with overall survival of 1 and 9 months. The remaining two are in follow-up and remain stable. The association of monosomy 18 with IgA subtype predominance and poor prognosis was not observed in this series of MMs and PCLs. Although these results do not confirm our previous hypothesis, further observations of this group of patients (with monosomy 18) regarding malignant transformation is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Laboratori de Citogenètica i Biologia Molecular, Servei de Patologia, Hospital del Mar-IMAS, Passeig marítim 25-29, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. e0037@imas.imim.es
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lloveras
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Granada
authors.forename: Lurdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zamora
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Espinet
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Florensa
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Besses
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xandri
authors.forename: Maria Encarnación
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pérez-Vila
authors.forename: Fuensanta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Millà
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woessner
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Solé
mesh_terms: D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D007621:Karyotyping; D007952:Leukemia, Plasma Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D009006:Monosomy; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000235:genetics*