[Detection of bcl-2/JH fusion gene in patients with B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by polymerase chain reaction and its clinical implication].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency and clinical implication of bcl-2/JH gene rearrangement in B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas(B-NHLs).


METHODS
Major breakpoint region (MBR) and minor cluster region(mcr) of bcl-2 rearrangement were amplified by polymerase chain reaction in fresh tumor tissue, bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 23 cases of B-NHL.


RESULTS
Translocation breakpoint was revealed in 10 fresh tumor tissue (71.4% of follicular NHL, 31.3% of diffuse NHL), 8 bone marrow and 7 peripheral blood specimens. The MBR was involved in most of the cases, while the mcr only in one. In addition, of 18 patients with normal bone marrow morphology, 4 were PCR positive, including 2 in early stage ( I and II). Untreated patients with bcl-2 gene rearrangement obtained lower complete remission rate than those without the rearrangement.


CONCLUSIONS
Detection of bcl-2/JH fusion gene was helpful in diagnosing and staging lymphomas, selecting treatment protocols, and monitoring minimal residual diseases.
Feng
W
W
Chongqing Medical Science University, Chongqing 630046.
Huang
Z
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D050596:Oncogene Fusion; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult