Molecular Cytogenetic Profiling Reveals Similarities and Differences Between Localized Nodal and Systemic Follicular Lymphomas.

Recently, we have developed novel highly promising gene expression (GE) classifiers discriminating localized nodal (LFL) from systemic follicular lymphoma (SFL) with prognostic impact. However, few data are available in LFL especially concerning hotspot genetic alterations that are associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of SFL. A total of 144 LFL and 527 SFL, enrolled in prospective clinical trials of the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group, were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect deletions in chromosomes 1p, 6q, and 17p as well as translocations to determine their impact on clinical outcome of LFL patients. The frequency of chromosomal deletions in 1p and 17p was comparable between LFL and SFL, while 6q deletions and translocations more frequently occurred in SFL. A higher proportion of 1p deletions was seen in -translocation-positive LFL, compared with -translocation-negative LFL. Deletions in chromosomes 1p, 6q, and 17p predicted clinical outcome of patients with SFL in the entire cohort, while only deletions in chromosome 1p retained its negative prognostic impact in R-CHOP-treated SFL. In contrast, no deletions in one of the investigated genetic loci predicted clinical outcome in LFL. Likewise, the presence or absence of translocations had no prognostic impact in LFL. Despite representing a genetic portfolio closely resembling SFL, LFL showed some differences in deletion frequencies. translocation and 6q deletion frequency differs between LFL and SFL and might contribute to distinct genetic profiles in LFL and SFL.