- N
Engl J Med. 2006 Jun 8;354(23):2419-30.
Comment in:
- N Engl J Med. 2006 Jun 8;354(23):2495-8.
A biologic definition of Burkitt's
lymphoma from transcriptional and genomic profiling.
Hummel M, Bentink S, Berger H, Klapper W, Wessendorf S,
Barth TF, Bernd HW, Cogliatti SB, Dierlamm J, Feller AC,
Hansmann ML, Haralambieva E, Harder L, Hasenclever D, Kuhn
M, Lenze D, Lichter P, Martin-Subero JI, Moller P, Muller-Hermelink
HK, Ott G, Parwaresch RM, Pott C, Rosenwald A, Rosolowski M,
Schwaenen C, Sturzenhofecker B, Szczepanowski M, Trautmann
H, Wacker HH, Spang R, Loeffler M, Trumper L, Stein H,
Siebert R; Molecular Mechanisms in Malignant Lymphomas
Network Project of the Deutsche Krebshilfe.
Institute of Pathology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charite
Universitatsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
BACKGROUND: The distinction between Burkitt's lymphoma and
diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma is unclear. We used
transcriptional and genomic profiling to define Burkitt's
lymphoma more precisely and to distinguish subgroups in
other types of mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas. METHODS:
We performed gene-expression profiling using Affymetrix
U133A GeneChips with RNA from 220 mature aggressive B-cell
lymphomas, including a core group of 8 Burkitt's lymphomas
that met all World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. A
molecular signature for Burkitt's lymphoma was generated,
and chromosomal abnormalities were detected with interphase
fluorescence in situ hybridization and array-based
comparative genomic hybridization. RESULTS: We used the
molecular signature for Burkitt's lymphoma to identify 44
cases: 11 had the morphologic features of diffuse
large-B-cell lymphomas, 4 were unclassifiable mature
aggressive B-cell lymphomas, and 29 had a classic or
atypical Burkitt's morphologic appearance. Also, five did
not have a detectable IG-myc Burkitt's translocation,
whereas the others contained an IG-myc fusion, mostly in
simple karyotypes. Of the 176 lymphomas without the
molecular signature for Burkitt's lymphoma, 155 were diffuse
large-B-cell lymphomas. Of these 155 cases, 21 percent had a
chromosomal breakpoint at the myc locus associated with
complex chromosomal changes and an unfavorable clinical
course. CONCLUSIONS: Our molecular definition of Burkitt's
lymphoma clarifies and extends the spectrum of the WHO
criteria for Burkitt's lymphoma. In mature aggressive B-cell
lymphomas without a gene signature for Burkitt's lymphoma,
chromosomal breakpoints at the myc locus were associated
with an adverse clinical outcome. Copyright 2006
Massachusetts Medical Society.
PMID: 16760442 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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