title: Two Translocations: a Follicular Variant 2; 18 and a Burkitt 8;14 in a Small Non Cleaved Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
abstract: The t(2;18)(p11;q21) has recently been described in two lymphoma cases as a variant of the t(14;18)(q32;q21) typical chromosome translocation in follicular lymphomas. Molecular investigations of t(2;18) confirmed juxtaposition of the bcl-2 gene to the immunoglobulin kappa (Igk) locus and described a new break point region on 18q21 found also in the recently reported, second follicular variant translocation (18;22)(q21;q11). Thus, cytogenetic and molecular studies established the same mechanism of (onco)gene activation by the heavy or light Ig gene in follicular lymphomas and Burkitt lymphomas. We describe a case of small non cleaved non Hodgkin's lymphoma in which translocation (2;18) coexisted with a typical (8;14) Burkitt translocation. Absent HLA-DR expression by the tumour cells was noted in this case. The possible implications of the cytogenetic and immunologic findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wlodarska
authors.affiliation: a Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mecucci
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pathology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Wolf-Peeters
authors.affiliation: c Department of Oncology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: a Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Den Berghe
authors.affiliation: a Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Den Berghe
keywords: Burkitt translocation; HLA-DR; NHL; follicular