Project description:The aim of the study was to identify molecular mechanisms involved in high risk diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (diffuse large B-cell lymphomas). <br>51 prospectively collected tumor samples from the patients treated in the Nordic phase II study with dose-dense chemoimmunotherapy followed by systemic CNS prophylaxis were analyzed by high resolution array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). <br>The aCGH data were combined with the transcriptomics information from the exon array and the data associated with survival.
Project description:The distinction between the Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is imprecise using current diagnostic criteria. We applied transcriptional and genomic profiling to molecularly define Burkitt lymphoma. Gene expression profiling employing Affymetrix GeneChips (U133A) was performed in 220 mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas, including a core group of eight Burkitt lymphomas, which fulfilled all diagnostic criteria of the WHO classification. A molecular signature of Burkitt lymphoma was generated. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected by interphase fluorescence in-situ hybridization and array comparative genomic hybridization. The molecular Burkitt lymphoma signature identified 44 cases. Fifteen of these cases lacked a morphology typical for Burkitt/Burkitt-like lymphoma. The vast majority (88%) of the 176 lymphomas without the molecular Burkitt lymphoma signature represented diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. In 20% of these cases a MYC break was detectable which was associated with complex chromosomal changes. Our molecular definition of Burkitt lymphoma sharpens and extends the spectrum of Burkitt lymphoma. In mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas without a Burkitt lymphoma signature, a chromosomal break in the MYC locus proved to be associated with adverse clinical outcome. Experiment Overall Design: 220 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma samples hybridized to 221 HGU133A Affymetrix GeneChips