Blastic mantle cell lymphoma associated with Burkitt-type translocation and hypodiploidy
Margarita Palutke, MD, Core Hematology, University Laboratories, 4201 St Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract
Two elderly men with stage IV mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) rapidly developed a leukaemic phase with unusually high blast counts that proved fatal. One lymph node biopsy showed diffuse MCL, the other blastic morphology. In addition to t(11;14), there were t(8;14) and t(1;19) in case 1 and dup(8)(q24q13) in case 2. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed genomic fusion of IgH/MYC genes in case 1 and an extra copy of C-MYC gene in case 2. The genomic alteration of C-MYC oncogene is probably implicated in the blastic transformation and aggressive behaviour of the disease.
