Deletion of 6q27 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Nonrandom deletions of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q) are associated wit h various lymphoid malignancies. It has been suggested that deletions of 6q 25 similar to 27, 6q21, and 6q23 typically occur in intermediate-grade, hig h-grade, and low-grade lymphomas, respectively. We used fluorescence in sit u hybridization (FISH) to evaluate the occurrence of 6q27 deletion in chron ic lymphatic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma (MM). 6q27 deletion was de tected in 21% of patients with CLL and in 28% of patients with MM. The perc entage of cells containing deletions ranged between 25 similar to 49. Two p atients with MM had progressive disease and the aberration was detected in both. We conclude that FISH is a sensitive method to detect 6q27 deletion i n lymphoproliferative disorders. Also, this deletion is not specific to int ermediate-grade lymphomas, but occurs also in CLL and MM. (C) Elsevier Scie nce Inc., 1999, All rights reserved.