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Original Article
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Volume 354:2419-2430 June 8, 2006 Number 23
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A Biologic Definition of Burkitt's Lymphoma from Transcriptional and Genomic Profiling
Michael Hummel, Ph.D., Stefan Bentink, M.S., Hilmar Berger, M.D., Wolfram Klapper, M.D., Swen Wessendorf, M.D., Thomas F.E. Barth, M.D., Heinz-Wolfram Bernd, M.D., Sergio B. Cogliatti, M.D., Judith Dierlamm, M.D., Ph.D., Alfred C. Feller, M.D., Martin-Leo Hansmann, M.D., Eugenia Haralambieva, M.D., Lana Harder, M.D., Dirk Hasenclever, Ph.D., Michael Kühn, Dido Lenze, Ph.D., Peter Lichter, Ph.D., Jose Ignacio Martin-Subero, Ph.D., Peter Möller, M.D., Hans-Konrad Müller-Hermelink, M.D., German Ott, M.D., Reza M. Parwaresch, M.D., Christiane Pott, M.D., Andreas Rosenwald, M.D., Maciej Rosolowski, Ph.D., Carsten Schwaenen, M.D., Benjamin Stürzenhofecker, Ph.D., Monika Szczepanowski, Ph.D., Heiko Trautmann, M.S., Hans-Heinrich Wacker, M.D., Rainer Spang, Ph.D., Markus Loeffler, M.D., Ph.D., Lorenz Trümper, M.D., Harald Stein, M.D., Reiner Siebert, M.D., for the Molecular Mechanisms in Malignant Lymphomas Network Project of the Deutsche Krebshilfe

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ABSTRACT

Background The distinction between Burkitt's lymphoma and diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma is unclear. We used transcriptional and genomic profiling to define Burkitt's lymphoma more precisely and to distinguish subgroups in other types of mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas.

Methods We performed gene-expression profiling using Affymetrix U133A GeneChips with RNA from 220 mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas, including a core group of 8 Burkitt's lymphomas that met all World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. A molecular signature for Burkitt's lymphoma was generated, and chromosomal abnormalities were detected with interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization and array-based comparative genomic hybridization.

Results We used the molecular signature for Burkitt's lymphoma to identify 44 cases: 11 had the morphologic features of diffuse large-B-cell lymphomas, 4 were unclassifiable mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas, and 29 had a classic or atypical Burkitt's morphologic appearance. Also, five did not have a detectable IG-myc Burkitt's translocation, whereas the others contained an IG-myc fusion, mostly in simple karyotypes. Of the 176 lymphomas without the molecular signature for Burkitt's lymphoma, 155 were diffuse large-B-cell lymphomas. Of these 155 cases, 21 percent had a chromosomal breakpoint at the myc locus associated with complex chromosomal changes and an unfavorable clinical course.

Conclusions Our molecular definition of Burkitt's lymphoma clarifies and extends the spectrum of the WHO criteria for Burkitt's lymphoma. In mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas without a gene signature for Burkitt's lymphoma, chromosomal breakpoints at the myc locus were associated with an adverse clinical outcome.


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Mr. Bentink and Drs. Berger, Klapper, and Wessendorf contributed equally to this article.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Stein at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Institute of Pathology, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200 Berlin Germany, or at Harald.Stein{at}charite.de.

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Related Letters:

Genomic Diagnosis of Burkitt's Lymphoma
Lin B. T., Dave S. S., Staudt L. M., Hummel M., Stein H., Siebert R., the Molecular Mechanisms in Malignant Lymphomas Network Project of the Deutsche Krebshilfe
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2006; 355:1064-1065, Sep 7, 2006. Correspondence

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