Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Natural Killer Cell LymphomaLeukaemia - Is There a Consistent Pattern?

Abstract

The group of putative natural killer cell lymphomas, also known as NIUT cell lymphomas (nasal and nasal-type) has been characterized only in recent years. Whilst a good amount of clinical information has been gathered on this group of uncommon lymphoid neoplasms, there is little information on the cytogenetic or molecular alterations. A review of the literature shows that chromosomal abnormalities are indeed commonly found in these tumours, and aberrations involving chromosome 6q are most frequent. Other non-random abnormalities include +X, i(1q), i(7q), +8, del(13q), del(17p), i(17q), and llq23 rearrangement. It appears that deletions of the chromosome 6 at around q21–23 region is the commonest recurrent chromosomal abnormality, and fluorescence in situ hybridisation studies have confirmed the occurrence of deletions at 6q22–23 in the CD3– CD56+ tumour cells. Search for the involved genes located in this chromosome region can potentially shed light on the molecular pathogenesis of the natural killer cell neoplasms.

Key Words:

• natural killer cell
• CD56
• lymphoma
• leukaemia
• chromosomal abnormalities
• del(6q)
• cytogenetics
• FISH