Chromosome changes in the lymphomas.

A substantial proportion of all lymphomas contain a marker chromosome 14q +. In Burkitt's lymphoma the marker 14q + was shown in the past to be due to a t(8;14)(q24;32). Recent studies have pointed out that 8q - may be more characteristic and more specific for Burkitt's lymphoma than 14q +, since translocations involving chromosome 8 with 2 or 22 (and not 14) have been described in a significant number of cases of Burkitt's lymphoma. Although chromosome 14 appears to be most common recipient of translocated material in non-Burkitt's lymphomas, the donor chromosome may be one of a variety of chromosomes such as 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 11, 14, and 18. To date, however, no clinical specificity of the donor chromosome in a particular type of lymphoma has been established. It will be necessary to accumulate more such data, and to relate the information to cell markers, histologic features, stage, and therapeutic response in the cases involved, before a more precise classification of the non-Burkitt's lymphomas becomes available.