title: Reliable detection of clonal IgH/Bcl2 MBR rearrangement in follicular lymphoma: methodology and clinical significance.
abstract: The prognostic significance of IgH/Bcl2 rearrangement in follicular lymphoma (FL) remains contentious; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology and tissue source variability may account for some inconsistencies. As IgH/Bcl2 major breakpoint region (MBR) sequences may be found in normal blood, an MBR+ result by conventional PCR in blood/bone marrow may not indicate FL. To establish tumour MBR status, 190 lymphoid tissue samples with histologically evident FL (and therefore >1% tumour cells) were examined by real-time quantifiable PCR; 50% (95/190) had clonal MBR IgH/Bcl2 (MBR was considered clonal when >1%). Overall survival (median = 11.5 years) of MBR+ and MBR- patients was not significantly different.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Medical Oncology Unit, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Charterhouse Square, West Smithfield, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
authors.forename: Sameena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Michael J R
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: Karin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calaminici
authors.forename: Ama Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Rohatiner
authors.forename: Jude
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fitzgibbon
authors.forename: T Andrew
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lister
authors.forename: Lindsey K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Goff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019457:Chromosome Breakage; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers