Nonimmunoglobulin (non-Ig)/BCL6 gene fusion in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma results in worse prognosis than Ig/lBCL6

Chromosomal translocation involving the BCL6 gene affects not only immunogl obulin (Ig) genes but also a number of non-lg genes as partners. The molecu lar anatomy of the BCL6 gene rearrangements in 39 cases with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) by long-distance polymerase chain reaction-based as says was determined. The results showed that Ig genes were affected in 21 c ases; non-lg genes, 15 cases; a deletion of more than a I-kb segment, 2 cas es; and a point mutation, 1 case. Comparative studies between the 21 cases with Ig gene partners and the 17 cases with non-lg gene partners, including 2 cases with the deletion, showed that the overall survival of the latter group of patients was significantly inferior to that of the former (P = .04 40), and the estimated 2-year overall survival rates were 58.3% vs 17.6% (P = .005), Non-Ig/BCL6 fusion is a poor prognostic indicator of DLBCL, and D LBCL with BCL6 translocation could be subclassified according to the indivi dual partner locus and/or gene. (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematol ogy.