Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome: no evidence of chromosome instability

Patients with the immune deficiency disorder Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) have an increased risk of malignancy, most notably non-Hodgkins lymphoma. To determine whether this susceptibility is due to chromosome instability, cytogenetic analysis was performed on phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes from five patients with this disorder. Compared to matched controls, no excess of chromosome aberrations or structural rearrangements was identified. This study does not, therefore, support the view that WAS is a chromosome instability syndrome.