MATERIALS & METHODS: In total 141 local series of DLBCL cases from UKM Medical Centre were retrospectively studied.
RESULTS: Of these cases, we classified our patients into two subtypes: 32.7% (37/113) GCB and non-GCB 67.3% (76/113) by Hans algorithm and the results showed strong agreement with the results by Choi algorithm (κ = 0.828, P<0.001). Survival analysis indicated significant difference in between GCB and non-GCB subtypes (P=0.01), elevated serum LDH (P=0.016), age more than 60-year-old (P=0.021) and the presence of B symptoms (P=0.04). We observed 12% DLBCL cases were CD5 positive and 81.8% of them died of the disease (P=0.076). Analysis on the dual expression of MYC/BCL2 revealed that there is no significant difference in DE and non-DE groups (P=0.916). FISH study reported there were 9.22% (13/141) rearranged cases observed in our population at which highest frequency of BCL6 gene rearrangement (76.9%), followed by MYC (15.4%) and BCL2 (7.7%); no BCL10 and MALT-1 gene rearrangement found regardless of using TMAs or whole tissue samples. More cases of MYC protein overexpression observed compared to MYC translocation.
CONCLUSION: Relatively lower frequency of GCB tumours and low gene rearrangement rates were observed in Malaysian population. A national study is therefore warranted to know better the immunogenotypic characteristics of DLBCL in Malaysia and their implications on the survival.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung between 2010 and 2014 were tested for EGFR mutations. Of these, 92 cases were identified as EGFR wild type and suitable candidates for ALK testing utilising immunohistochemistry and the rabbit monoclonal antibody D5F3. The reliability of the IHC was confirmed by validating the results against those achieved by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) to detect ALK gene rearrangements.
RESULTS: Twelve (13%) cases were positive for ALK expression using immunohistochemistry. Of the 18 evaluable cases tested by FISH, there was 100% agreement with respect to ALK rearrangement/ALK expression between the assays, with 11 cases ALK negative and 7 cases ALK positive by both assays. ALK tumour expression was significantly more common in female compared to male patients (29.6% vs. 6.2%, P
METHODS: ALK gene rearrangement was detected by immunostaining of ALK protein and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) targeting at the 2p23 region.
RESULTS: The expression of ALK protein was detected in 24/34 (71%) of the cases, and it was significantly higher in childhood cases (100%) when compared to adult cases (47%). The analyses by FISH were consistent with the results from immunostaining of ALK protein, but the analyses were only successful in 15/34 (44%) cases. FISH analyses detected extra copies of ALK gene in three cases, including one case that expressed ALK protein and showed 2p23 rearrangement.
CONCLUSIONS: The current series revealed a high frequency of ALK gene rearrangement, especially in the children. Immunostaining of ALK protein is a reliable indication of ALK gene rearrangement, and is superior to FISH. However, FISH analysis is useful in detecting other genetic aberrations that are not related to ALK gene rearrangement.
MEHTODS: We studied 18 cases of haematological malignancies which comprised five patients with T-ALL, 12 patients with AML and one with biphenotypic leukaemia.
RESULTS: We found that the incidence of IGH gene rearrangement in T-ALL and AML were three (60%) and two (16.7%), respectively. The patient with biphenotypic leukaemia was negative for IGH gene rearrangement.
CONCLUSION: Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, which occurs in almost all haematological malignancies of B-cell lineage, also presents in a very small proportion of T-cell or myeloid malignancies.