Late appearance of the 11q22.3-23.1 deletion involving the ATM locus in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and related disorders. Clinico-biological significance.

Abstract

a) Submicroscopic 11q deletion involving the ATM locus may, in some instances, represent a secondary change in CLL, CLL/P and PLL, suggesting that sequential FISH analyses are necessary to detect this chromosome anomaly in some patients; b) the acquisition of 11q-/ATM deletion may play a role in determining cytological transformation and disease progression of CLL and related disorders.