title: Frequency of BCL2 and BCL6 translocations in follicular lymphoma: relation with histological and clinical features.
abstract: Follicular lymphomas (FLs) usually carry BCL2 translocations although BCL6 translocations are also present. We explored relationships between translocations status and clinical or histological parameters at diagnosis in 182 patients stratified in four groups: BCL2-/BCL6-, BCL2+/BCL6-, BCL2-/BCL6+ and BCL2+/BCL6+. BCL2-/BCL6- and BCL2+/BCL6-. Double negative cases were ascribed to lower histological grades. In contrast, BCL2-/BCL6+ cases corresponded to higher grades. However, a majority of BCL2+/BCL6+ tumours were classified as lower grades. These results were reinforced by the finding that double positive patients had lower LDH levels and PS than those with solitary BCL6 rearrangements. Bone marrow involvement was more frequent in BCL2+/BCL6+ compared with BCL2-/BCL6+ tumours. Our data confirm the presence of a relationship between histological grade and translocation status, suggesting that FLs carrying BCL6 translocations probably constitute a special biological subtype. Clinical and histological differences between BCL2-/BCL6+ and BCL2+/BCL6+ tumours could reflect an interplay between both translocations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz-Alderete
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doval
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verde
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sabin
authors.forename: Reyes
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arranz-Sáez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellas
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corbacho
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perez-Martín
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Marcellán
authors.forename: Leocricia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montalbán
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piris
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Menarguez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D005787:Gene Frequency; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6