FREQUENCY OF BCL-2 J(H) TRANSLOCATIONS IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD OF FOLLICULAR LYMPHOMA PATIENTS/

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays have been developed for follicu lar lymphoma-associated BCL-2/J(H) translocations. Few data are availa ble on the quantitation by PCR of these translocations in peripheral b lood mononuclear cells (PBM) of follicular lymphoma (FL) patients. We report that only one of five studied FL patients had a high level of t hese translocations in the circulation, namely, about 35,000 transloca tions per 5 x 10(6) PBM. This patient was stable with an excellent per formance status at the time of this assay; however, he died of leukemi a 1 month later. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.