Cytogenetic analysis of pediatric anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) constitutes approximately 15% of pediatric and 3% of adult non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Most pediatric cases harbor the reciprocal translocation t(2;5)(p23;q35), involving the alk gene. Cytogenetic studies of ALCL have mostly been published as case-reports. The aim of this study was to determine the cytogenetic profiles of a series of pediatric ALCL and to compare them with pediatric and adult ALCL from the literature.


METHODS
Eighteen children treated at our Institution were studied by standard cytogenetic analysis and RT-PCR for the specific t(2;5) translocation product. Comparative analysis was performed on our findings and on the karyotypes of 48 pediatric and 39 adult ALCL reported in the literature.


RESULTS
Karyotype was obtained in 16/18 ALCL: 9 showed translocation t(2;5) and 1 an alk variant form. Structural and numeric chromosomal abnormalities were identified in both pediatric and adult series. Trisomies were found preferentially in pediatric patients (P = 0.013) and monosomies in adults (P = 0.038). Trisomy 7 was found in 22% (13/59) of pediatric cases with abnormal karyotype and only in 5% (2/38) of adults; monosomy of chromosome 13 in 13% (5/38) of adults and only in 2% (1/59) of pediatric patients and monosomy of chromosome 15 in 16% (6/38) of adults and in none of the pediatric ALCL.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that pediatric and adult ALCL are characterized by different numerical chromosomal abnormalities. Larger prospective studies may elucidate their potential prognostic impact.
Mussolin
Lara
L
Clinica di Oncoematologia Pediatrica, Azienda Ospedaliera, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy.
Pillon
Marta
M
Bonato
Paola
P
Leszl
Anna
A
Franceschetto
Genny
G
Di Meglio
Annamaria
A
d'Amore
Emanuele S G
ES
Sainati
Laura
L
Rosolen
Angelo
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002648:Child; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009006:Monosomy; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014314:Trisomy
C107023:p80(NPM-ALK) protein; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases