The role of molecular analysis of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene rearrangements in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders.

AIMS: To investigate whether the analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig)/T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangements is useful in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders.

METHODS

In a series of 107 consecutive cases with initial suspicion of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), Southern blot (SB) analysis of Ig/TCR rearrangements was performed.

RESULTS

In 98 of 100 histopathologically conclusive cases, Ig/TCR gene results were concordant. In one presumed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLCL) and one follicular lymphoma (FL) case no clonality could be detected by SB analysis, or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at second stage. In the DLCL, sampling error might have occurred; the FL was revised after an initial diagnosis of reactivity. In many of the histopathologically inconclusive cases Ig/TCR gene SB analysis was helpful, giving support for the histopathological suspicion. However, because of a lack of (clinical) follow up data this could not be confirmed in a few cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Experienced haematopathologists or a pathologist panel can diagnose malignant versus reactive lesions in most cases without the need for Ig/TCR gene analysis and can select the 5-10% of cases that might benefit from molecular clonality studies.