title: Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Gene Rearrangement in Non B-cell Haematological Malignancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clonality detection through amplifying immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene rearrangements by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a useful tool in diagnosis of various B-lymphoid malignancies. Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement can be an optimal target for clonality detection in B-lymphoid malignancies. In the present study, we evaluated the presence of IGH gene rearrangement in non B-cell haemato-oncology patients including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL), acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) and biphenotypic leukaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 18 cases of haematological malignancies which comprised five patients with T-ALL, 12 patients with AML and one with biphenotypic leukaemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the incidence of IGH gene rearrangement in T-ALL and AML were three (60%) and two (16.7%), respectively. The patient with biphenotypic leukaemia was negative for IGH gene rearrangement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, which occurs in almost all haematological malignancies of B-cell lineage, also presents in a very small proportion of T-cell or myeloid malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. drhaslina@kb.usm.my.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Noor Haslina
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosnah
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Shafini
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wan Haslindawani
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohd Nazri
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salamah
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasnan
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rosline