Complex cytogenetic and immunophenotypic aberrations in a patient with Sezary syndrome

Sezary syndrome is defined as the leukemic variation of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Here we describe the cytogenetic pattern of peripheral T-cells of a 50-year-old male patient suffering from this disease. We used Giemsa-banding (G-banding) technique and a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay to determine cytogenetic changes affecting 15 different chromosomes. The cells displayed an abnormal hypodiploid karyotype with a prominent insertion located at the short arm of chromosome 1. Unbalanced translocations were observed involving chromosomes 4 and 14. Besides other abnormalities we detected a 6q- deletion. These multiple genetic changes may reflect the high aggressivity of the neoplastically transformed T-cell population and the poor response to chemotherapeutic treatment.