Non-Hodgkin lymphoma with t(14;18): clonal evolution patterns and cytogenetic-pathologic-clinical correlations

The pattern and frequency of secondary chromosome abnormalities in t(14;18)-carrying non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) were evaluated for differences in relation to histologic NHL subtype and patients' outcome. One hundred and forty-nine NHL patients with t(14;18) and complete cytogenetic, morphologic, and clinical information were selected. One hundred and twelve cases were follicular lymphoma (FL) and 37 were diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). One hundred and forty cases showed secondary aberrations (94%, median = 6.0). The most frequent were losses from chromosome arms 1p and 6q and +7 (26%). Loss from 1q, +7, and +12 were more frequent in DLBCL than in FL. Loss from 1p, Xp, and -16 were more frequent in FL grade 3 than in FL grades 1 and 2. Patients with 6.0 secondary cytogenetic aberrations both correlated with shorter overall survival.