Distinctive Chromosomal Abnormalities in Histologic Subtypes of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

TLDR

High‑resolution chromosomal analysis of lymph node biopsies from 42 of 44 non‑Hodgkin lymphoma patients was performed and the cases were classified using the new international histologic formulation and immunologic markers. Clonal chromosomal abnormalities were found in all 42 patients, with three recurrent aberrations—t(18;14) in follicular lymphomas, t(8;14) in small non‑cleaved‑cell or large‑cell immunoblastic lymphomas, and trisomy 12 in small‑cell lymphocytic lymphoma—indicating subtype‑specific defects and supporting the utility of high‑resolution analysis. Citation: N Engl J Med 1982; 307:1231–6.

Abstract

Using a new high-resolution technique for chromosomal analysis, we have successfully studied biopsy specimens of lymph nodes from 42 of 44 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and have categorized them using the new international histologic formulation and immunologic markers. Abnormalities of the clonal chromosomes were detected in all 42 patients. Three recurrent chromosomal aberrations were found to correlate with certain histologic types: a translocation between chromosomes 18 and 14 in 16 of 19 patients with follicular lymphomas (small cleaved cell, mixed cell, and large cell); a translocation between chromosomes 8 and 14 in 5 of 6 patients with small noncleaved-cell (non-Burkitt's) or large-cell immunoblastic lymphoma; and a trisomy 12 in 4 of 11 patients with small-cell lymphocytic lymphoma. Our findings suggest that characteristic chromosomal defects occur in certain lymphoma subtypes and that high-resolution chromosomal analysis promises to become an important tool in improving our basic understanding of lymphoid cancers. (N Engl J Med. 1982; 307:1231–6.)