[Molecular diagnosis angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma]

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
• Accurate molecular diagnostics are essential for effective AITL management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate molecular diagnostic routines for various tissue samples in AITL.
• To assess the utility of specific molecular assays for AITL diagnosis and monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 84 AITL patients.
• T-cell receptor (TCRG, TCRB) and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement analysis (GeneScan).
• Quantitative allele-specific PCR with LNA primers for RHOA G17V mutation.

Main Results:

• T-cell receptor gene rearrangements detected in 90.5% of lymph nodes.
• RHOA G17V mutation found in 54.9% of lymph nodes.
• Tumor cells detected in peripheral blood (100%) and bone marrow (93.9%) using allele-specific PCR for RHOA G17V mutation.

Conclusions:

• Quantitative allele-specific PCR for RHOA G17V mutation is sensitive for evaluating tumor prevalence.
• This assay is valuable for monitoring minimal residual disease in AITL.