Cancer in a familial IgA deficiency patient: abnormal chromosomes and B lymphocytes

Two primary cancers were found in a patient with a familial IgA deficiency. Although cytogenetic studies showed nonconsistent pseudodiploid chromosomal pattern in the peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures, there were two metaphases with a deleted short arm of an E (17-18) chromosome and several metaphases with an abnormally large chromosome, larger than chromosome number 1. Also, there were 37 B lymphocytes per mm3 in her peripheral blood which was much lower than other radiation-treated cancer patients. The absence of IgA, the decrease of peripheral B lymphocytes and the chromosomal abnormality might have played a role in her developing the cancers.