title: The prognostic difference of monoallelic versus biallelic deletion of 13q in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fluorescence in situ hybridization can detect genomic abnormalities in up to 80% of cases and provides prognostic information on patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Although 13q deletion as the sole abnormality has been found to confer a favorable prognosis, there are little data as to whether there is a difference in prognostic value between monoallelic versus biallelic deletion of 13q.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors reviewed the electronic database for patients with CLL who carried the 13q deletion as the sole abnormality and presented to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). Untreated patients were separated into 2 groups: those having monoallelic versus those with biallelic deletion of 13q. Using Mann-Whitney, chi-square, and Kaplan-Meier analysis, the baseline quantitative and qualitative variables for each group, along with the time from presentation to MDACC to treatment, were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 176 patients were identified; 143 patients had a monoallelic deletion of 13q, whereas 33 patients had a biallelic deletion. The only significantly different values between the groups were albumin (4.5 g/dL vs 4.4 g/dL; P = .01) and zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP70) expression (1.7% vs 4.8%; P = .010). The median time from fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis to treatment in both the monoallelic and biallelic groups had not been reached (P = not significant).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Except for inconsequential differences in albumin and ZAP70 expression, there was no difference in the baseline characteristics between patients with CLL who had monoallelic or biallelic deletion of 13q. In addition, there was no significant difference in endpoints, including time to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Ravin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wierda
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrajoli
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abruzzo
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lerner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keating
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D025063:Chromosome Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome