The persistence of t(14;18)-bearing cells in lymph nodes of patients with follicular lymphoma in complete remission: the evidence for 'a lymphoma stem cell'.
Monitoring of t(14;18) in blood or bone marrow in follicular lymphoma (FL) remains controversial. We attempted to monitor t(14;18) in lymph nodes by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations (UG-FNA). First, we confirmed t(14;18) in 27/31 UG-FNAs of lymph nodes with fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with advanced disease. In complete (CR) and molecular remission, there were repeated 18 UG-FNAs in 17 patients. Five of 18 UG-FNA were technically unsuccessful and 6/18 samples contained fibrosis. Despite that, these patients had a better prognosis. In 7/7 aspirations in six patients, t(14;18) was detected. Three patients are still in CR, even one of them remains in long lasting remission despite two consecutive evidences of t(14;18) in UG-FNA. Another three of these patients relapsed a few months after UG-FNA. This study is proof of the principle of the detection of residual t(14;18) bearing cells in previously involved lymph nodes despite patients being in remission.
Janikova
Andrea
A
Department of Internal Medicine, Hemato-Oncology, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic. ajanikova@fnbrno.cz
Mayer
Jiri
J
Kren
Leos
L
Smardova
Jana
J
Dvorakova
Dana
D
Neubauer
Jiri
J
Vasova
Ingrid
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2