title: Circulating t(14;18)-positive cells in healthy individuals: association with age and sex but not with smoking.
abstract: Abstract t(14;18)-positive cells can be detected not only in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) but also in healthy individuals (HIs). We used epidemiological data and blood samples of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) to analyze associations of FL risk factors and t(14;18)-positive cells in HIs. Buffy coat samples from 4152 study participants were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for t(14;18)-positive cells. Of 3966 evaluable subjects, 1526 were t(14;18)-PCR positive [38.5%, median 3.9 t(14;18)-positive per million nucleated cells, range 0.6-9299]. In multivariable analyses, age and sex but not parameters of smoking exposure were significantly associated with t(14;18) prevalence (logistic regression, p < 0.001). Multivariable analyses of t(14;18)-frequency showed a positive association with age but not with sex or smoking. These age and sex associations in HIs require careful control in future studies of t(14;18) as a potential biomarker of lymphoma risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hirt
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weitmann
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schüler
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rabkin
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Gottfried
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dölken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D055815:Young Adult