title: Prevalence of monoclonal B lymphocytosis in first-degree relatives of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Monoclonal B lymphocytosis (MBL) is considered to be a precursor state for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This study was planned to evaluate the MBL prevalence in first-degree relatives of CLL patients in Turkey, which is considered to be an ethnic and geographic bridge between the Eastern and Western worlds.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 136 volunteers [median age: 40 (17-77) years; male/female: 60/76] from 61 families were included. Flow cytometry analysis by 4-colour staining was used for MBL diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MBL was demonstrated in 17 cases (12.5%). A total of 14 cases (10.3%) were classified as CLL-like MBL, while 3 (2.2%) exhibited a non-CLL-like phenotype. The prevalence of MBL was 12.72% in subjects aged less than 40 years, 12.28% in subjects between 40 and 60 years, and 40% in subjects over 60 years, without statistical significance (p>0.05). A total of 115 cases were evaluated for intermarriage, which was observed in 19 cases (16.5%). The prevalence of MBL did not differ based on intermarriage status (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current report is the first MBL prevalence study in a Eurasian population that demonstrates a similar distribution pattern of MBL in Anatolian CLL kindreds. Further efforts should be made to refine our understanding of the natural history and clinical outcomes of MBL.
authors: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: tnrdemirci@gmail.com.
authors: Taner
authors: T
authors: Demirci
authors: Zeynep Arzu
authors: ZA
authors: Yeğin
authors: Nevruz
authors: N
authors: Kurşunoğlu
authors: Zeynep
authors: Z
authors: Yılmaz
authors: Elif
authors: E
authors: Suyanı
authors: Zübeyde Nur
authors: ZN
authors: Özkurt
authors: Münci
authors: M
authors: Yağcı