Zhang W, Zhu P, Yu S
North Taiping Road Hospital, Beijing.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 1996 Mar;76(3):207-10.
Using some molecular biological techniques, we studied the clinical significance of minimal disease (MD) in bone marrow (BM) from the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL).
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzymes map analysis of PCR products (PCR/RE) were used to find the clonal gene rearrangement of IgH and TCR(gamma) for detecting MD in BM. The BM samples from 35 patients with NHL were examined by these techniques.
The incidences of MD in BM were 66% (23/35), 51% (18/35) in IgH group and 49% (17/35) in TCR(gamma) group. While the frequency of BM involvement detected by BM smear was 26% (9/35). Not only majority of patients with NHL in this series but also above half of patients (7/12) in stage I and II had MD in their BM. MD was related to histologic grade and systemic symptoms (P < 0.05). The incidence tended to be increased gradually from stage I to stage IV, and these patients with MD to be poorer in response rate, mortality and recurrence rate, though without statistical significant correlation.
NHL is a systemic disease. MD in BM may be a prognostic factor in NHL.
