CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF T(14-18)-POSITIVE CELLS IN THE CIRCULATION OF PATIENTS WITH STAGE-III OR STAGE-IV FOLLICULAR NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA DURING FIRST REMISSION

Purpose: To evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis as a method for the detection of circulating lymphoma cells in patients with stage III and IV t(14;18)-positive follicular Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in first remission in a longitudinal prospective study. Patients and Methods: Peripheral blood or bone marrow from eight patients with stage III and IV t(14;18)-positive NHL was studied using PCR to detect the presence of t(14;18)-positive cells in the circulation at different times during first remission. Results: In four of six patients with no clinical evidence of disease (NCED), t(14;18)-positive cells were detectable in the circulation. In one of two patients with clinical evidence of disease (CED), no t(14;18)- positive cells were found at the four different occasions tested during first remission. First-remission duration ranged from 17 to 81+ months. The duration from the first PCR determination in remission until first relapse or the end of the observation period ranged from 10 to 37+ months. Conclusion: In patients with t(14;18)-positive follicular NHL stage III and IV, treated with conventional remission induction therapy, the presence or absence of t(14;18)-positive cells in the circulation shows no obvious correlation with the clinical remission status and the remission duration.