Polymerase chain reaction detection of rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain DNA in plasma samples is useful in the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma

Using DNA extracted from plasma samples of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B -NHL) patients, we attempted to detect the monoclonal rearrangement of immu noglobulin heavy chain gene by amplifying complementarity-determining regio n 3 (CDR3) by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method (plasma PC R). In 19 of 37 (51%) cases, clonal DNA was detected. With the same PCR met hod using DNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, clonal DNA was detected in 8 of the 37 cases (22%). These 8 were in advanced stages w ith bone marrow (BM) invasion mostly. On the other hand, the 19 positive ca ses by plasma PCR included those in early stages without BM invasion or wit h normal soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values. In 15 healthy volunteers, plasma PCR showed no clonal DNA. In cases in which tumor biopsy was difficult to perform, plasma PCR was helpf ul for determining whether or not the tumor was B-NHL. Plasma PCR is simple and has high specificity, although its sensitivity is insufficient. Int J Hematol. 2000;72.74-78. (C) 2000 The Japanese Society of Hematology.