[Clinical significance of detecting strong bcl-2 protein expression with flow cytometry in follicular lymphoma].

The expression of cell surface antigens and bcl-2 protein was examined with flow cytometry in 30 lymphoma samples including 28 lymph nodes and others, from January, 2001 to May, 2003. Cases studied included the following: follicular lymphoma (FL), 11; diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 12; diffuse small B-cell lymphoma, 1; mantle cell lymphoma, 1; MALT lymphoma, 1; precursor-B lymphoblastic lymphoma, 1; T-lymphoblastic lymphoma, 1; blastic NK-cell lymphoma, 1; and unknown, 1. In addition, cytogenetic analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay were performed. Strong bcl-2 expression was observed in 91% of FL, and 17% of DLBCL. On the other hand, strong bcl-2 expression was found in all 9 cases of FL with t(14;18), all two cases of DLBCL with t(14;18), one unknown case with t(14;18), and one FL case with t(11;14). Our results support that strong bcl-2 expression as demonstrated with flow cytometry is correlated with FL (p<0.0001), and lymphomas with the t(14;18) (p<0.0001).