Incidence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of germinal center B-cell origin in whole diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: tissue fluorescence in situ hybridization using t(14;18) compared with immunohistochemistry

Int J Hematol. 2005 Jan;81(1):48-57. doi: 10.1532/ijh97.04102.

Abstract

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) can be divided into prognostically important categories such as germinal center B (GCB)-like and non-GCB-like groups. The t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation defines a unique subset of DLBCL cases with a GCB gene expression profile. Two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was applied to detect t(14;18) (q32;q21) in the nuclei of paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 61 patients with de novo DLBCL. Nine (15%) of 61 cases had a positive pattern. Fifty-seven cases were subclassified in an immunohistochemical study with anti-CD10, anti-bcl-6, and anti-MUM1 antibodies. In this classification, 21 cases (37%) were placed in the GCB group, and 36 (63%) were placed in the non-GCB group. There was a discrepancy between t(14;18) occurrence and bcl-2 protein expression. Bcl-2 protein expression was positive in 40 (67%) of 60 cases. The expression of bcl-2 protein in the GCB and non-GCB groups was not significantly different: 15 (71%) of 21 cases in the GCB group and 24 (67%) of 36 cases in the non-GCB group tested positive. We found no difference between the FISH-positive and FISH-negative groups in overall survival time (P = .6019, log-rank test). The overall survival rates of GCB and non-GCB groups did not differ significantly by immunohistochemical classification (P = .5399, log-rank test). Overall survival was significantly longer in the group with a low International Prognostic Index (IPI) score than in the group with a high IPI score (P = .0002, log-rank test). Our results suggest that immunohistochemical study and cytogenetic study with t(14;18) FISH cannot predict the clinical outcomes of DLBCL patients. A study with a larger number of patients may show a difference in clinical outcomes between FISH-positive and FISH-negative groups and between GCB and non-GCB groups.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14*
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18*
  • Female
  • Germinal Center / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Incidence
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell* / genetics
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell* / mortality
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell* / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse* / genetics
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse* / mortality
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse* / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Translocation, Genetic*